Stolen Art Watch, Fairfax Daniel Quare £500,000 Barometer, Stands Above Newby Table !!!

Now that's what I call brazen... CCTV shows museum couple stroll off with 'unique' 300-year-old brass barometer

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1186608/Now-thats-I-brazen--CCTV-shows-museum-couple-stroll-unique-300-year-old-brass-barometer.html

It's a theft which will inevitably be described as brazen - as visitors to a museum removed a valuable 17th-Century brass barometer from a wall and nonchalantly strolled out with it.
CCTV footage shows the man and woman walk up to the ivory and brass-plated device, worth many thousands of pounds, and unscrew it from the wall of Fairfax House in York.

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The man is then seen stuffing the barometer beneath his overcoat and the couple walk out.

Museum director Peter Brown described the theft as 'audacious' and added: 'The sad thing is they are preventing hundreds of people the chance to see an extremely important part of the city's history.'
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The barometer is the work of celebrated craftsman Daniel Quare, who enjoyed royal patronage before his death in 1724 and whose devices still grace Windsor Castle, the Science Museum and elsewhere.
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Its brass housing, with indicators ranging from 'Serene and Dry' to 'Rain and Stormy', is seated atop a column of fluted and twisting ivory.
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It is part of the museum's famous Noel Terry Collection of Georgian furniture and, in Mr Brown's estimation, probably unique.

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'It is a huge regret for us that it is gone,' he said. 'It is an irreplaceable piece dating back to 1695. We are just trying to remain calm and hope we get it back.

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He refused to confirm the exact value of the piece beyond saying it was 'extremely valuable' and worth tens of thousands of pounds.
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Staff at the museum - based in a 1762 building that has been described as 'the finest Georgian townhouse in England' - noticed the barometer was missing on Tuesday morning after the couple struck at about 2.45pm the previous day.
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Mr Brown admitted that while stewards keep a close eye on exhibits in each of the museum's rooms, no-one was stationed in the corridor where the barometer was located.

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Fairfax House's insurers are offering a reward for information leading to the return of the stolen treasure.

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Mark Dalrymple, from insurers Axa Art, said: 'This seems an extremely well-planned theft. I have no doubt that the pair have been to the museum on a number of occasions planning the theft.

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'The priority is getting it back. If anyone has any valuable information we are happy to provide a reward.'

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The CCTV footage shows a tall, white male, in his late twenties to early thirties, with dark brown hair, wearing a dark blue overcoat and dark-coloured trousers.

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The woman was also white, with light brown hair, wearing a tan-coloured coat, blue jeans and carrying a satchel.
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Anyone with information should phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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Art Hostage comments:

Top photo is the hallway at Fairfax House where the Daniel Quare barometer can be seen on the left.

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This is published on the Fairfax House website along with other blurb.

http://www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk/

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Hands up who thinks this unique Daniel Quare Barometer should have been housed in a glass cabinet surrounding it and protecting it from theft ????

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How much would a glass-case housing have cost ???

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How many other iconic artworks in museums and historic houses are exposed to theft in this dilatory manner ??

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An open invitation to thieves, as well as a host of information about the Daniel Quare Barometer when it was the Treasure of the month in August 2007.

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The downside of the Internet advertising historic houses in detail is thieves can discover all sorts of useful inside information without even visiting the historic house.

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The grainy CCTV image is misleading as there is computer software that will enhance these images and their true identity will be revealed.

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Police within 24 hours will have crystal clear images to use and in due course they may release them to the public if they cannot identify the couple, seem more like Dad and Daughter to me !!!

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Hang on a minute, isn't that old thingy and Umum ???

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"The Fairfax Daniel Quare £500,000 Barometer stands above the Newby table"

The current market value for this barometer would be around £500,000, a cool 1/2 Million pounds.

Ironically, Harry Hyams owned the most valuable barometer to ever come on the market and he paid around £275,000 for the Daniel Delander barometer at Sothebys in 1992.

Sadly, that was stolen during the infamous Harry Hyams art heist and remains outstanding.

The Fairfax Daniel Quare Barometer, if ever it came on the open, legitimate market, would smash the world record and Harry Hyams would definitely be the buyer.

So, the tentative valuation quoted "Tens of thousands" should read "Hundreds of thousands"

Sadly, the Underworld now possesses the two most valuable Barometers and are holding them Art Hostage !!!!