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The Specter of Spoils
Ernest Beck
01/01/2005
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Spencer is one of a number of art lawyers who believe art title insurance would be a good idea. Until that time, many collectors and dealers might well have to learn to live with at least a bit of nagging uncertainty. Even the most careful aficionados have discovered cracks in provenance only after that fateful knock on their door.
A number of websites offer information that can help a collector find clues as to whether an artwork or antiquity might have been stolen or removed from its homeland illegally. We can establish principles for what to buy based on UNESCO guidelines, international conventions & the laws & regulations of individual countries (www.unesco.org). The link to UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre (whc.unesco.org) allows collectors to search for research on specific countries. The Art Loss Register (www.artloss.com) is the world’s largest registry of lost or stolen art. The International Foundation for Art Research (www.ifar.org) has information on its site about stolen objects, law enforcement efforts and court rulings. The Central Registry of Information on Looted Cultural Property (www.lootedart.com) is an all-purpose site with links to individual countries and archives. The Archaeological Institute of America’s site (www.archaeology.org) has magazine features and news about recent excavations.
Additional Information
 Artful Dodges
Policing Provenance
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