[MSN] Editorial in Minerva on Antiquities Provenance

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Dear Ton,

I believe that this editorial in the just-published September/October 
issue of Minerva would be of interest to some of your readers…

ON THE ISSUE OF ANTIQUITIES PROVENANCE

Now that the issue of provenance has become such a dominant factor in 
the several campaigns against private collecting (such as those 
conducted by the Illicit Antiquities Centre in Cambridge, England, over 
the past few years) the auction houses of Britain and the United States 
have started to divulge substantial information that had previously 
remained confidential.  This includes the names of many consignees and 
their original sources, such as previous auctions and even dealers. 
Until very recently it was not their policy to publish - and therefore 
publicise - the names of dealers still in business that were, in 
effect, their competitors as well as their clients.  On the contrary it 
used to be standard practice in Britain to publish the names of all of 
all buyers, who were then predominantly dealers, in their printed 
results issued after the sales.  Presently, in some cases, especially 
in England, this practice of  ‘full disclosure’ borders on the extreme, 
and is taken too far especially where objects of little value are 
concerned.

    For years the Illicit Antiquities Research Centre and their 
compatriots have claimed that the majority of antiquities at auction – 
often claimed to be as high as 95% - are of illicit origin.  The steady 
flow of material, now fully provenanced in most instances, certainly 
disproves this highly inflated claim, although one must acknowledge 
that there were indeed a good number of illicit objects consigned in 
the past to one British auction house by Italian and Turkish sources 
that have now been virtually eliminated.  Several auction houses, such 
as that conducted by David Cahn in Basel, have always been quite strict 
about the source of their consignments, limiting them for the most part 
to old collections.  Even some German and to a much lesser extent 
French auctions have begun to list more provenances and to use and even 
publicise their use of the Art Loss Register.

    The net result of this furor over provenance has been a steadily 
increasing rise in the price of antiquities at auction, with those 
pieces possessing the more impeccable provenances often bringing much 
higher prices than those with little or none at all.  The auction 
houses have now certainly capitalised upon the provenance issue. 
Sculptures and vases, which ordinarily would claim no more than one 
page in a catalogue, are now allocated several pages because of their 
previous ownership, and often accordingly receive surprisingly high 
prices.  Separate catalogues are now published on just one or a handful 
of objects that date back to collections formed in the 18th or early 
19th century.  Private collectors are now the predominant buyers at 
auction for the top objects, and the few major pieces won by dealers 
are no doubt, for the most part, being bought on commission for 
clients.

    Even many of the most cautious buyers appear to be reassured when 
supplied by reputable auction houses with just the country of the owner 
and the date of his or her acquisition of the object as indicated in 
most catalogue listings.  (After all, as the writer has pointed out 
before, this anonymity is essential for those not wanting their names 
displayed in auction catalogues, which might indicate their need for 
funds in light of difficult or embarrassing personal circumstances.)   
Indeed, the resultant transparency of sources has apparently had the 
effect of helping to increase the desire for acquisition, thus raising 
the level of the entire market, and ultimately defeating the aims of 
those who are against private collecting (and the growth of museum 
collections).
                            
Jerome M. Eisenberg, Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief
Minerva
The International Review of
Ancient Art & Archaeology                           
Email:  ancientart at aol.com
Website:  www.minervamagazine.com


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