First the museums, now the collectors

Though collectors at a rather special level, it must be noted:

Seeking to build on its success in bargaining with a few American museums, Italy has asked the New York collector Shelby White to consider returning more than 20 ancient artifacts that it argues were illegally mined from its soil, officials involved in the negotiations say.

The request was relayed this month in a letter to Ms. White’s lawyers, they said. Rather than implicitly threaten legal action, however, as it occasionally has in pursuing objects in major museum collections, the government hopes to rely on moral suasion, said Maurizio Fiorilli, a lawyer for the Italian Culture Ministry. He said negotiations would begin in earnest in December.

Nicely put. There can be no doubt what lies inside the velvet glove, however.

Ms. White declined to be interviewed for this article. In recent years she has said that she and her husband never knowingly bought any stolen artifacts and that she has returned objects when warranted. Her lawyer, Lucien Burstein, wrote in an e-mail message that while the discussions with Italy were only preliminary, his client hoped “that a constructive resolution will be reached.”

It is noteworthy that White may have taken the initiative here:

Italian officials first signaled that they might go after objects in Ms. White’s private collection about a year ago, when they were negotiating for the return of two dozen antiquities acquired by the Met. . .

As the rumblings about her collection intensified, Ms. White approached the Italian Culture Ministry through a representative to discuss its claims, Mr. Burstein said.

From today's New York Times.

Posted by David on November 29, 2006 11:56 AM