Law

Art theftarchive

US colonel to lead antiquities anti-theft unit

Bogdanos attacks “cozy cabal of academics, dealers and collectors” who ignore provenance

Iranarchive

Iran sues Barakat Gallery for return of antiquities apparently looted from Jiroft

The gallery's owner makes no comment on artefacts' origins, but insists that all purchases were made legally

Foundation circumventing directions of Giacometti's late wife by limiting collection's exposure, says brother-in-law

Mr Arm, who previously contested his sister's will, now asks that part of the estate goes to auction

June 2005archive

'The art trade is the last major unregulated market'

Is it time for reform? Murky dealings came to light in 2005 as more collectors began to enter the scene—and brought their cases to court

Unescoarchive

Switzerland to implement 1970 UNESCO Convention legislation on 1st June

Switzerland’s is known for its pivotal presence in the underground network that moves illicitly excavated artefacts from country to country

Russiaarchive

Russian Court sanctions Church censorship

Director and curator charged with “incitement of national, racial, or religious enmity”

Collectorsarchive

World’s biggest art collector under arrest in Qatar

Sheikh Saud Al-Thani is being investigated for alleged misuse of public funds

Iranarchive

36 arrested and 940 objects reclaimed as Iranian authorities apprehend antiquities smuggling ring

Iran has clamped down on illegal trade in antiquities, which has led to archaeological sites being promptly denuded post-discovery

Iran sentences Jiroft smugglers to death

It is the first time that Iranian courts have issued a harsh punishment for the illicit exportation of goods from an archaeological site

Dalí estate resolves bitter dispute with Demart

The Foundation has settled a long-running battle over rights

Lawarchive

Under Article 7 of United Nations Resolution 1483, UK citizens who refuse to consign Iraqi artefacts are partaking in criminal activity

If an item is not immediately handed over to a “constable”, its owner could be receiving a prison sentence, even if he has legal title to the object

Authentication issues: "Trust me, this is a fake"

Pierre Valentin suggests that the decisions of expert committees should not be beyond the reach of the law

Husband and wife allege Guy Cogeval's Vuillard catalogues were 'plagiarised' from their unpublished manuscript

Art historians go to court in France and the US to reclaim the research they say was stolen from them

The Giacometti Foundation becomes a reality at long last, but lawsuits brought against the Association wear on

In accordance with the president of the Foundation's emphasis on turning over a new leaf, none of the Association's members have been elected to the board

Fraudarchive

Former French Foreign Minister and a leading auctioneer ordered to trial over money kept back from Giacometti estate sales

Roland Dumas and Jacques Tajan face accusations of abuse of confidence after evidence suggests proceeds from auction were illicitly retained

Association Giacometti's dwindling funds compel Paris courts to sue

Their problems could be blamed on the troubled stock market or an ongoing lawsuit between the directors and the executor of the bequest

Lawarchive

Barbara Kruger case: Art trumps right to privacy

A US Federal court has thrown out the case against artist Barbara Kruger for her appropriation of a 1960 photo, and against the Whitney Museum and LA MoCA for selling goods reproducing the offending image

Unescoarchive

Long the hub of the illicit antiquities trade, Switzerland is moving towards ratification of the 1970 Unesco Convention

Switzerland also debating new national legislation to make the movement of art and artefacts more transparent

Giacometti Association consigns sculptures and illustrated book to Christie's for auction as legal fees mount

The estate was bequeathed to the Giacometti Association as a temporary measure to clear the way for a foundation, although these plans were derailed by Roland Dumas's misconduct

Crime archive

Over 30 Manhattan art collectors have come forward voluntarily to pay $6 million in unpaid State sales tax on works of art

NY District Attorney promises amnesty for those who come forward while corporate executive Samuel Waksal enters a guilty plea for tax evasion

Agnew'sarchive

Texan collector loses Van Dyck case, dealer judged not fault

Claim against Agnew’s dismissed though the painting ruled not autograph

Agnew'sarchive

Collectors sue Agnew’s over Van Dyck and Constable misattributions

The gallery catalogued both works as genuine, though experts made no secret of their ambivalence

The Estate of Francis Bacon drops legal action against Marlborough

No evidence of blackmail, and video shows the artist satisfied with his gallery

Vasarely, Arp and Giacometti: The three French foundations plagued by lawsuits

The question of what exactly the artist would have wanted is ultimately unanswerable, and therefore liable to cause friction

Archives seized from Giacometti Association following family's wishes

Archives, boxes of drawings and documents pertaining to court procedures were confiscated by bailiffs, following the freezing of their assets last year