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What Happens to St. Louis Art Museum Suit Against the U.S. over the Mask of Ka Nefer Nefer—Will Museum Dismiss its Case Voluntarily?

By Nicholas O'Donnell on Posted in Civil Forfeiture, Customs

On the heels of the St. Louis Art Museum’s victory against the civil forfeiture action over the Mask of Ka-Nefer-Nefer, the question arises what the museum will do with the lawsuit it filed in 2011 concerning the mask.  That lawsuit, The Art Museum Subdistrict of the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District of the City… Continue Reading

Appeals Court Rules Mask of Ka-Nefer-Nefer Will Stay at St. Louis Art Museum Because Government Missed Deadlines

By Nicholas O'Donnell on Posted in Antiquities, Customs, Restitution

 The Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit  of the U.S. government’s attempt to seize the Mask of Ka-Nefer-Nefer from the St. Louis Art Museum.  Despite the government’s persistent characterization the mask as stolen before it entered the country, the civil forfeiture case has been rebuffed.  The narrow issue was whether the trial court had… Continue Reading

Last Call: “Selling the Museum’s Collection: Is Deaccessioning Ever Appropriate?” on Monday

By Nicholas O'Donnell on Posted in Deaccession, Detroit Bankruptcy, Events

A last reminder that on Monday, there will be a panel discusion at Columbia Law School entited “Selling the Museum’s Collection: Is Deaccessioning Ever Appropriate?“  From the event description: “The Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts is proud to welcome Roberta Smith,  New York Times art critic, and Nicholas O’Donnell, author of “The… Continue Reading

“Selling the Museum’s Collection: Is Deaccessioning Ever Appropriate?” at Columbia October 28, 2013

By Nicholas O'Donnell on Posted in Deaccession, Events

A reminder that two weeks from Monday, I will join a panel discusion at Columbia Law School entited “Selling the Museum’s Collection: Is Deaccessioning Ever Appropriate?“  From the event description: “The Kernochan Center for Law, Media and the Arts is proud to welcome Roberta Smith,  New York Times art critic, and Nicholas O’Donnell, author of… Continue Reading

St. Louis Art Museum Prevails Against U.S. Claim to Mask of Ka-Nefer-Nefer

By Nicholas O'Donnell on Posted in Customs

  The St. Louis Art Museum has defeated the federal goverment’s efforts to seize the Egyptian Mask of Ka-Nefer-Nefer under U.S. customs laws.  The Mask of Ka-Nefer-Nefer is a funerary mask of an ancient Egyptian noblewoman.  The St. Louis Art Museum purchased it from a dealer in 1998.  Sometime later, the United States began to seek its seizure, arguing… Continue Reading