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6 Oct 2008 : Column 25W—continued


Of the 27 items recommended by the Committee to warrant an export bar in 2004-05, two items (Cases 14 and 28) had their export licence applications refused before a decision was taken on the application because the owner was unwilling to accept a matching offer. Therefore 25 items had a temporary export bar placed on them.

Details of the 25 items on which a temporary export bar was placed in 2004-05 are set out in the following table.


6 Oct 2008 : Column 26W
2004-05

Item

Case 1

A Mantuan parcel-gilt and silvered bronze roundel

Case 2

A rare embroidered linen doublet c. 1650

Case 3

A rare silver Iron Age coin

Case 4

A painting by Jan Steen, “The Burgher of Delft and his daughter”

Case 5

A painting by Francis Bacon, “Study after Velasquez”

Case 6

A draft Royal Warrant for a patent for Robert Hooke’s ‘Watches with Springs’

Case 8

A painting by Hans Memling, “Portrait of a Man in a Black Cap”

Case 10

A Mughal ceremonial dagger

Case 11

A Mughal flywhisk handle

Case 12

A Mughal silver huqqa set

Case 13

A Mughal flask

Case 15

An illuminated medieval manuscript, the “Macclesfield Psalter”

Case 16

An album of watercolours. “Views of Calcutta”, by James Baillie Fraser

Case 17

A Cartier bandeau

Case 18

A silk and wool gentleman’s doublet c. 1600

Case 19

A marble sculpture by Benedetto Pistrucci

Case 20

A Charles II silver dish

Case 21

An oak coffer by William Beckford and HE Goodridge

Case 22

A gold, silver-gilt, lapis-lazuli and enamel clock by Gustave Baugrand, Paris, 1867

Case 23

A pink satin and black bugle beaded bodice c. 1640-50

Case 25

A painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds, “The Archers”

Case 27

The Melchett Cast-Iron Fire Basket by Charles Sargeant Jagger c. 1930

Case 29

A set of 19 watercolours, “Blair’s Grave”, by William Blake

Case 31

A Meissen armorial baluster vase and cover

Case 32

A pencil and black and red chalk drawing of Mary Hamilton by Sir Thomas Lawrence


Of the 13 items recommended by the Committee to warrant an export bar in 2003-04, three items (Cases 2, 3 and 15) had their export licence applications withdrawn before a decision was taken on the application. One application was refused (Case 9). Therefore nine items had a temporary export bar placed on them.

Details of the nine items on which a temporary export bar was placed in 2003-04 are set out in the following table.

2003-04

Item

Case 5

A Regency carved mahogany centre table designed by Thomas Hope for his house in Duchess Street'

Case 6

A pair of paintings by Claude-Joseph Vernet, “Calme: A Landscape at Sunset with Fishermen Returning their Catch” and “Tempete: A Shipwreck in Stormy Seas”

Case 7

A painting by Annibale Carracci, The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist (‘The Montalto Madonna’)

Case 11

A painting the ‘Virgin in Mourning’ attributed to the Master of Moulins

Case 12

A Siena marble table made for William Beckford

Case 13

Four silver wine coolers: one pair by Robert-Joseph Auguste of Paris and one pair by Parker and Wakelin of London

Case 14

The archive of G King and Son

Case 17

A painting by Richard Parkes Bonnington, “French Coast with Fishermen”

Case 18

The archive of General Sir Eyre Coote


Of the 23 items recommended by the Committee to warrant an export bar in 2002-03, no items had their export licence applications withdrawn following the Committee meeting. Therefore 23 items had a temporary export bar placed on them.

Details of the 23 items on which a temporary export bar was placed in 2002-03 are set out in the following table.


6 Oct 2008 : Column 27W
2002-03

Item

Case 1

A full suit of armour c. 1495

Case 2

A pair of George IV ormolu and mother of pearl inlaid black and gilt-japanned papier-mâché vases, c. 1830, the vases by Jennens and Bettridge, the mounts attributed to Edward Holmes Baldock

Case 4

A sallet by Lorenz Helmschmied, c. 1480

Case 5

Meissen figure of a vixen

Case 7

Meissen figure of a crouching king vulture

Case 8

Meissen figure of a turkey cock

Case 9

Queen Charlotte’s emerald and diamond cross (licence refused—seller refused to accept V and A’s matching offer)

Case 10

A miniature photograph album by Mary Dillwyn (1816-1906)

Case 11

A sketch of a horse and landscape by Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641)

Case 12

A portrait of The Lieutenant General, the Hon. Robert Monckton, by Benjamin West, 1764

Case 13

A Roman well-head, the Guilford puteal, c. 100BC

Case 14

An armchair designed by Marcel Breuer, 1936

Case.15

A dressing table designed by Marcel Breuer, 1936

Case 16

A drawing, Study of a Mourning Woman, by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564)

Case 17

A Portrait of Omai by Sir Joshua Reynolds, c. 1775-76

Case 18

The Madonna of the Pinks (Madonna dei Garofani) by Raphael (1483-1520)

Case 19

A portrait of Richard Arkwright junior with his wife Mary and daughter Anne by Joseph Wright of Derby, 1790

Case 20

A pair of silver wall sconces with the mark of Thomas Corbett, 1701

Case 21

A marble statue of Sir George Cooke (1645-1740) by Sir Henry Cheere (1703-81)

Case 22

Letters and diaries of Claudius James Rich (1787-1821)

Case 23

A miniature of the Nativity, attributed to Jean Bourdichon, c. 1510

Case 24

A bronze incense burner attributed to Desiderio da Firenze, c. 1540

Case 25

A Roman marble statue of Venus, known as the ‘Jenkins’ or ‘Barberini’ Venus, 1(st)—2(nd) century AD


Art Works: Theft

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will bring forward proposals for de-acquisitioning works of art and artefacts held in UK institutions found to be the fruit of spoliation; what the outcomes were of the consultations held on the restitution of spoliated objects with reference to the answers of (a) 29 November 2006, Official Report, column 102W and (b) 4 December 2006, Official Report, column 103W, on art theft; and if he will make a statement. [221668]

Margaret Hodge [holding answer 22 July 2008]: Having considered the views expressed in response to the 2006 consultation paper, the Government are committed to introducing legislation as soon as possible to allow national museums, that are currently prevented from doing so, to return works of art spoliated during the Nazi era. A summary of the responses received to the consultation and the Government’s conclusions are available on my Department’s website. The Government are actively seeking a legislative opportunity to bring forward these changes.

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many items (a) have been identified and (b) await determination as spoliated by the Nazis by the Spoliation Advisory Panel since it was established; how many confirmed spoliated items have (i) been returned to the original owners and (ii) have been the subject of compensation; in how many cases where compensation was recommended the original owner made representations for restitution; what the (A) names, (B) descriptions and (C) holding institutions are of each item (1) returned and (2) compensated for; and if he will make a statement; [221596]

(2) which UK institutions have returned artworks or artefacts found to be the fruit of spoliation during the Second World War to their rightful owners; what items have been so returned; and if he will make a statement. [221669]


6 Oct 2008 : Column 28W

Margaret Hodge [holding answer 22 July 2008]: The Spoliation Advisory Panel has advised on eight claims since it was established in 2000 and is currently considering a ninth claim. The information sought on the claims determined is set out in the table.

Institution and date Item claimed Outcome

Tate (2001)

“View of Hampton Court Palace” by Jan Griffier the Elder

Claim upheld. The claimant sought and received an ‘ex-gratia’ payment.

Burrell Collection, Glasgow (2004)

“Still Life”, formerly attributed to Chardin

Claim upheld. The claimant sought either the return of the painting or an ‘ex-gratia’ payment. The Panel recommended the return of the painting. The Burrell Collection decided they could not return the painting and made an ‘ex-gratia’ payment to the claimant instead.

British Library (2005)

“The Beneventan Missal”

Claim upheld. The claimant sought the return of the “Missal” and the British Library are trying to arrange a long-term loan to Italy.

Ashmolean Museum (2006)

“Portrait of a Young Girl in a Bow Window”, attributed to Nikolaus Alexander Mair von Landshut

Claim rejected. The claimant did not specify whether they were seeking the return of the painting or an ‘ex-gratia’ payment.

British Museum (2006)

“The Holy Family” by Niccolo dell’Abbate; “An Allegory on Poetic Inspiration with Mercury and Apollo”, by Nicholas Blakey; “Virgin and Infant Christ, adored by St Elizabeth and the Infant St John”, by Martin Johann Schmidt; and “St Dorothy with the Christ Child” by School of Martin Schöngauer

Claim upheld. The claimant sought and received an ‘ex-gratia’ payment.

Courtauld Institute (2007)

“A lion”, attributed to Carl Ruthart; “A dog lying down”, attributed to Frans Van Mieris the elder; and “An architectural capriccio”, attributed to Giuseppe Bibiena

Claim upheld. The claimant sought the return of and received the drawings.

Courtauld Institute (2007)

“St. Gregory the Great with Ss. Maurus and Papianus and St. Domitilla with Ss. Nereus and Achilleus”; “The Conversion of St. Paul”; and “The Bounty of James / Triumphing Over Avarice” by Sir Peter Paul Rubens

Claim rejected. The claimant sought the return of the paintings.

British Museum and Fitzwilliam Museum (2008)

“Porcelain dish” at the British Museum and “Monteith” (or glass cooler) at the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Claims upheld. The one claimant sought and received an ‘ex-gratia’ payment for the “Porcelian dish”, which the British Museum is unable to deaccession and the restitution of the “Monteith”, which the Fitzwilliam Museum was able to deaccession.


The Government are only aware of the outcome of claims that have been referred to the Spoliation Advisory Panel.


6 Oct 2008 : Column 29W

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) is taking to publicise the procedure for making claims to the Spoliation Advisory Panel in respect of artworks and artefacts allegedly looted or spoliated during the Nazi regime; what consideration he has given to the recommendations of the Spoliation Advisory Panel for legislation to enable the return of spoliated items for UK collections; and if he will make a statement. [221670]

Margaret Hodge [holding answer 22 July 2008]: The Cultural Property Advice website (www.culturalpropertyadvice.gov.uk), launched by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council in 2007 with support from my Department, provides advice and information to those searching for objects with an uncertain history lost or stolen during World War II and the Holocaust Era. The website includes a database of objects with uncertain provenance between 1933-45. Both this website and the department's own website provide information on the work of the Spoliation Advisory Panel.

The Government intend to introduce legislation to allow national museums, that are currently prevented from doing so, to return works of art spoliated during the Nazi era, as recommended by the panel in 2005. We continue to look for an early legislative opportunity to do so.


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