Art, Adventure and Advocacy: Contracts, Claims and Controversies in the World of Cultural Property

In this eclectic but wide-ranging glance at the cultural property landscape, Professor Norman Palmer QC (Hon), CBE, FSA interweaves an analysis of decided cases with an account of some controversies which never came to court and with guidance on the architecting of contracts, claims and compromises involving rare and often mysterious objects. The subject matter ranges from pillaged antiquities to Holocaust-related art, taking in manuscripts, jewels, finds of treasure, statuary, vintage motorcars and historical human remains. This volume will enable art collectors and administrators, along with the societies which they serve, to develop an understanding of the vast scope and variety of art disputes, of the need for prudence and informed foresight in any dealing in art, and of the wisdom of taking legal advice in advance of transactions, rather than risking litigation and loss after the event. Norman Palmer is the Professor Emeritus of the Law of Art and Cultural Property at University College London and a barrister in practice at 3 Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn, London, where he specialises in personal property and cultural property. His work includes the negotiation and drafting of agreements for the repatriation, bailment and acquisition of cultural objects, and the resolution of cultural property disputes by mediation and other means. He advises governments, cultural institutions, curators, art collectors, art transporters and insurers, and is often consulted in cases involving cultural and other high-value chattels. He is an expert adviser to the Spoliation Advisory Panel, which seeks to resolve by non-litigious means claims involving Holocaust-related artworks. In former years he chaired the Treasure Valuation Committee (2000 to 2011), the Illicit Trade Advisory Panel (2000 to 2005) and the Ministerial Working Group on Human Remains in Museum Collections (2001 to 2003). Book jacket.