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The Kingsland Saga

By Intellectual Property Law, Esq.

The FBI is now saying that "at least 20 pieces" from the collection William Kingsland left behind are stolen, including a million dollar Giacometti bust. They've gone ahead and posted photos online "in the hope that the rightful owners will come forward and claim the works."

Jim Wynne of the FBI art crimes unit is quoted as saying, "Whether he was a thief or a good-faith purchaser, we couldn't come to a conclusion on that. All we know is he ended up with this stuff." It certainly matters to potential buyers: if Kingsland was a thief, he (and his estate) can't transfer good title to the works; if he was a good-faith buyer in the ordinary course of business, on the other hand, it's possible that, under certain circumstances, he could.

Full post as published by The Art Law Blog on August 12, 2008 (boomark / email).