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Bacchus bronze

Essex auction house helps in return of stolen Roman statue

09 February 2022

Essex saleroom TimeLine Auctions and a Dutch detective have worked together to return a stolen Roman statue to France after it was missing for 50 years.

 Silver and gilt stag’s head rhyton

New York collector given lifetime ban after four-year antiquities investigation

13 December 2021

One of New York’s most prolific antiquities collectors has surrendered 180 ‘looted’ items from his collection and been barred for life from acquiring antiquities again.

Priester family Vienna apartment

Restituted Priester collection reunited before sale takes £1.5m at Christie’s

11 December 2021

Part of an art collection once owned by a Jewish family who fled Nazi persecution has been sold at Christie’s.

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Stolen snuff boxes recovered 42 years on

15 November 2021

A group of antique snuff boxes has been recovered after a theft more than 40 years ago.

Breviary of Ludovico da Romagnano

Manuscript missing for 30 years returns to Italy

11 October 2021

Part of a medieval manuscript stolen in Italy more than 30 years ago has been returned with the help of London firm Bloomsbury Auctions.

Gilgamesh Dream tablet

News In Brief – including the return of a Gilgamesh Dream tablet to Iraq

27 September 2021

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including the the return of a 3600-year-old tablet showing part of the Epic of Gilgamesh being handed back to Iraq by the US.

Anglo Saxon brooch

Anglo-Saxon brooch recovered but rest of hoard still at large

20 September 2021

A renewed plea for eight Anglo-Saxon brooches still missing following a theft in 1995 has been issued after the recovery of one of the group.

Anglo Saxon brooch

Stolen Anglo-Saxon brooch returned to museum after 26 years

11 September 2021

An Anglo-Saxon brooch stolen from Rutland County Museum has been returned 26 years after it went missing.

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Eugène Boudin painting sparks ownership mystery

09 August 2021

The status of a Eugène Boudin (1824-98) painting stolen 30 years ago from a Mayfair dealership is currently in limbo while the rightful owner is sought.

Dr Elena Greer with tortoises

A slow recovery: stolen tortoises resurface after 29 years

19 July 2021

Four Victorian bronze tortoises stolen from National Trust property Kingston Lacy in Dorset have been recovered nearly 30 years later.

Picasso and Mondrian paintings stolen in Greek art theft returned

01 July 2021

Two paintings stolen from Greece's National Gallery in 2012 have been recovered and a builder has confessed to the crime, according to Reuters.

Banquet still-life

Feasting and making merry at Christie's auction

21 June 2021

Restituted pictures remain a key area of supply for fresh Old Masters and Christie’s evening sale on July 8 includes two Dutch Golden Age paintings.

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London charity is beneficiary of restituted art

14 June 2021

A sight loss charity in London has benefited from a surprise windfall after pictures restituted to the estate of a benefactor were sold at auction in Vienna.

Victorian finials as rampant lions

Family’s lions roar once more

24 May 2021

A pair of 3ft 7in high (1.12m) Victorian iron pier finials cast as rampant lions have returned home after two decades missing from a family home.

Statue

Ancient Libyan statue returned home with the help of The British Museum and HMRC

11 May 2021

A funerary statue from Cyrene (near present-day Shahhat in Libya) dating to the 2nd century BC is being returned to Libya.

Obituary: Art recovery specialist Charles Hill (1947-2021)

15 March 2021

For those who have studied or have even a passing interest in the field of art crime, Charles (or Charley) Hill was one of the giants in the world of recovering stolen masterpieces – from Munch’s 'The Scream' to Vermeer and Goya and many more.

Martinware barrister face jug

Second Martinware pottery jug from Ealing theft returned

11 February 2021

A face jug from the Ealing Martinware thefts has been returned – the second piece from the Ealing Council’s collection to be recovered in recent months.

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More items found by metal detectorists to be saved for the nation as Treasure definition set to be changed

10 December 2020

More metal detective finds will have a chance to be saved for the nation under new rules set to come in next year.

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Renewed plea to help find missing Martinware pieces from Ealing council

01 December 2020

A group of Martinware pottery items stolen across two break-ins back in 2005 and 2007 from buildings owned by Ealing Council are still missing but there are hopes some can be recovered.

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Martinware theft: Ealing bird found

23 November 2020

A missing Martinware bird has been recovered more than 15 years after it was stolen from Southall Library in Ealing, west London.