Paul Klee Painting Stolen in 1989 Recovered by the ALR and American Authorities
March 24, 2010
From the Associated Press:
NEW YORK - A painting by Swiss artist Paul Klee that was stolen from a New York gallery in 1989 has been recovered after a Montreal gallery owner became suspicious and turned it over to U.S. authorities.
Robert Landau turned the 1930 painting, Portrait in the Garden, by the neo-impressionist artist over to U.S. authorities after a Florida art dealer tried to sell it to him. It had been stolen from the Marlborough Gallery.
"Once we found out it was stolen, we called Homeland Security in Washington," Landau told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "We don't deal in stolen art."
U.S. authorities then handed the painting over to the London-based Art Loss Register, which maintains a 350,000-item database of stolen artworks.
Christopher Marinello, executive director of the Art Loss Register, praised Landau for his actions.
"He was very honorable," Marinello said. "We wish that every dealer were like the Landau Gallery and that they searched before they bought everything."
A spokeswoman for the Marlborough Gallery, Janis Gardner Cecil, said the $100,000 painting is now owned by Marlborough's insurer, Lloyd's of London, which will auction it.
Pat Reilly, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Washington, told the AP that Landau was approached in December 2009 by a man who represented himself as an art dealer at an international art fair in Miami Beach.
The man offered to sell the Klee to Landau, but Landau said he could not evaluate its authenticity on the spot.
The man then sent the painting to Landau in Montreal with the understanding that Landau would buy it if he determined it was authentic.
Instead, Reilly said, Landau discovered the painting had been stolen and turned it over to ICE agents.
Asked if charges were pending against the art dealer who tried to sell the painting, Reilly said only that the investigation is ongoing.
The painting, gouache on paper, shows the figure of a woman surrounded by flowers.
Klee, 1879-1940, was influenced by German Expressionists and by the Cubism of Picasso. He was also part of the Bauhaus school of architecture and design.
By KAREN MATTHEWS (AP)
Associated Press Writer Charmaine Noronha in Toronto contributed to this story.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
About the Art Loss Register
The ALR is the world's largest database of lost and stolen art, antiques, and collectibles. The ALR was first established in London in 1991 through a partnership between leading auction houses and art trade associations, the insurance industry, and the International Foundation for Art Research. The ALR has been involved in the recovery of over $200m worth of artwork. There are currently over 225,000 items on the database. The ALR is recognized as the leader in art recovery, due diligence, and the resolution of title disputes.
Henry Moore Sculpture Recovered in Toronto
March 25, 2010
TORONTO, Ontario - Days after locating and recovering a $125,000 Paul Klee painting from Landau Fine Art in Montreal, The Art Loss Register has successfully recovered a $80,000 Henry Moore sculpture from the Miriam Shiell Gallery in Toronto. The sculpture had been reported stolen by the James Goodman Gallery in New York in November of 2001.
While it may seem that Canada is becoming a hotbed of stolen art, previously appropriated artwork is recovered all over the world according to Christopher A. Marinello, General Counsel of the London-based Art Loss Register. "This just happens to be a bad...or should I say good week for Canada."
The Art Loss Register located the Moore when the Miriam Shiell Gallery was performing due diligence searches of recently consigned artwork. The Gallery's consignor, when faced with the facts, and the law, voluntarily released his claim to the work which he claimed was inherited from a relative.
"Art theft is a six billion dollar a year industry" says Marinello. Stolen items are registered with the ALR who then check every major auction sale worldwide in an effort to locate the items on their database. In addition, reputable dealers, museums, and collectors will contact the Register prior to making a purchase of fine art.
"You should only buy fine art from a gallery or auction house that searches with The ALR otherwise, you risk losing the item to police seizure or civil legal action that could cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees."
With the assistance of Detective Mark Fishstein of the NYPD Major Case Squad, the Moore sculpture will be returned to the James Goodman Gallery in the next few days.
There are over 100 artworks by Henry Moore on the Art Loss Register's database of lost and stolen artworks, the most famous of which is a 2-ton sculpture stolen from the grounds of a British museum in 2005.
About the Art Loss Register
The ALR is the world's largest database of lost and stolen art, antiques, and collectibles. The ALR was first established in London in 1991 through a partnership between leading auction houses and art trade associations, the insurance industry, and the International Foundation for Art Research. The ALR has been involved in the recovery of over $200m worth of artwork. There are currently over 300,000 items on the database. The ALR is recognized as the leader in art recovery, due diligence, and the resolution of title disputes.
Wedding rings stolen by attackers in Hertfordshire
Thousands of pounds worth of wedding rings have been stolen by attackers in Hertfordshire who hit their victim in the face.
The victim works for a specialist company and 450 gold and diamond rings were taken as he returned to premises in Park Street, St Albans.
He was followed from Hatfield by four men in a blue T registration Toyota Avensis on Thursday, police said.
"He was not seriously hurt but was shaken," Det Sgt Nina Winfield said.
"When the man got out of his car at the junction with Park Street Lane and Gidian Court, one of the offenders hit him in the face and stole his black sports holdall containing the rings.
Wearing bandana
"The attacker was of Eastern European appearance, 5ft 8in (1.72m) tall and aged between 30 and 35.
"We would like to speak to anyone who was in Beaconsfield Road in Hatfield or the Gidian Court area of Park Street and saw anything suspicious," she said.
The other three men are also described as being of "Eastern European appearance", aged between 25 and 30 and were all dressed in jeans and jackets.
One was also wearing a red and yellow bandana.
Det Sgt Winfield said: "Remember if you are offered cheap rings, they could be stolen and we would like to hear from you."
Thieves get away with valuable bronze antiques
ANTIQUES worth £4,000 were stolen from a village store in an early morning smash-and-grab raid.
The two Art Deco bronze statuettes were snatched from a window display at Jeroen Markies, in Forest Row.
Police were on a routine patrol when they heard an alarm sound at the shop, in Newlands Place, at about 4.30am on Friday March 12.
Owner Jeroen Markies said: "The police have been very efficient and very helpful, but I don't hold much hope.
"I think the items were stolen to order. They specifically went for these two items and nothing else. There were eight massive marks on the window where they used granite stones."
The valuable one-of-a-kind items - a dancer and a panther - had been in the window display for only a couple of days before the thieves struck.
Sales assistant Jules Evans said: "It's reinforced glass, so it takes some doing. It was a smash-and-grab and they knew exactly what they were after.
"The bronze is very heavy, so I would imagine it would have been a couple of people."
It is believed the offenders smashed a hole big enough to reach into the shop and steal the two statuettes.
Mr Markies has run the business from Forest Row for nearly 30 years and last had a break-in around 1990.
He added: "It's amazing how they managed to get through that glass.
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