Culture crime news: 17–23 Feb 2014

News

Hot topics: Maybe mythical German treasure.

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General

Dealer’s trade in antiquities prompts harsh questions of museums the world over.
22 February 2014, The New Zealand Herald

The First Family of Art Forgery
20 February 2014, Vocative

Americas

Theft of $1.8 million in baroque paintings a blow to Guatemalan art world
22 February 2013, The Tico Times

Local Artist Destroys $1 Million Ai Weiwei Vase At Museum “In Protest” (Miami, USA; vase ‘may’ have been ancient)
17 February 2014, CBS Miami

After ordeal, collector cleared in smuggling case (USA)
18 February 2014, Times Dispatch

Tribal objects shown reverence on trip home to US
20 February 2014, Associated Press

Hard drugs seized with stolen artifact, RCMP say (Canada)
19 February 2014, CBC News

Canada: Tax Shelter Exemption For Donations Of Cultural Property Removed
19 February 2014, Mondaq

Africa

Zimbabwe: A Hole Into an Obliterated Past
20 February 2014, All Africa

‘Get the British Museum to give up our treasures’ (General Africa)
22 February, 2014, The Voice

Australia & Pacific

Expert labels National Gallery ‘naive’ as it sues over allegedly stolen Indian Shiva statue (Australia)
13 February 2014, ABC News

South and East Asia

Seabed ‘treasure’ changes hands: Officials buy antique coins from collectors at Tangasseri harbour (India)
18 February 2014, The Hindu

Emergence of antiques triggers treasure hunt in Kollam (India)
21 February 2014, The Hindu

Cops crack panchaloha theft case (India)
21 February 2014, The Times of India

Marble columns stolen by Norway stir emotive debate (China)
20 February 2014, The Standard

So, who owns antiquity? (China)
22 February, IOL

West Asia

U.S. troops saved art as the ‘Monuments Men’ of Iraq
17 February 2014, Military Times

Europe

Macedonia to seek stolen icons from Albania
18 February 2014, Bsanna News

Public antiquities in the president’s residence (Ukraine)
23 February 2014, Conflict Antiquities

Taxing question of Scotland’s Old Masters: If independence is passed, what will happen to the privately owned paintings on loan to public collections?
17 February 2014, The Art Newspaper

Will the Scots sack the British Museum?
17 February 2014, The Art Newspaper

Grays man to appear in court charged with stealing £15,000 coin
17 February 2014, Echo

Ardelia Ripley Hall helped recover looted artifacts (Monuments ‘Men’)
18 February 2014, Cape Cod Times

‘Looter’ forced to give up Roman treasure find (Germany)
19 February 2014, The Local

Could Roman Gold Found in Germany be Nibelung Rhinegold Treasure?
20 February 2014, International Business Times

German art hoarder launches website in defence of seized collection
17 February 2014, The Guardian

In other news

The black market for green fingers: Illegal trade in rare plants reaches startling scale
18 February 2014, Express

Man jailed after stealing rhino horn from Newark antiques dealer
20 February 2014, Nottingham Post

Ancient dinosaur track stolen from trail near Moab
20 February 2014, Desert News

George Clooney: ‘London Mayor compared me to Hitler'(Parthenon Marbles drama)
17 February 2014, Express