Following are just two of many emails that were exchanged last month on the
Slavic Librarians listserv (SLAVLIBS):
From: "Ksenya Kiebuzinski" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: [SLAVLIBS] donated art and rare books
> Hi,
>
> The University of Toronto also received a donation offer from Russia for 4
> to 5 rare books and also art work. The offer came to our Judaica
> specialist who then inquired with me whether it was legitimate or not. He
> apparently had been exchanging e-mails with them and their law firm for
> some weeks or even months and was optimistic that it was a genuine offer.
> Everything seemed set to go when they too asked for a small deposit to
> help with customs and postage with the same promise of partial
> reimbursement. When I heard that other libraries were receiving the same
> offers, I advised my colleague to drop the matter or to make our own
> arrangements with a courier.
>
> I'd be interested in hearing from others too.
>
> Thanks,
> Ksenya
>
> Janet Irene Crayne wrote:
>
>> A while back I asked our membership if anyone had received a donation
>> offer from Russia. Several people replied to me, and this is a
>> follow-up. The items listed and shown in an attached PDF look genuine,
>> but the same offers have gone out to at least five of us. I continued my
>> correspondence with the donors, and they are now asking for a specific
>> amount of money as a "guarantee"-- a large percentage of which would be
>> refunded to the recipient library on arrival of the donated items. Since
>> at least 2 of us have received the same message, and were not informed of
>> the other's existence, I assume that this is not a legitimate offer.
>>
>>
>> Janet I. Crayne, Head
>> Slavic and East European Division
>> 110F Hatcher Graduate Library North
>> University of Michigan Library
>> Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1205
>> (734) 936-2348 (phone)
>> (734) 763-6743 (fax)
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
> --
> Ksenya Kiebuzinski, Ph.D.
> Slavic Resources Coordinator, and
> Head, Petro Jacyk Central and East European Resource Centre
>
> Robarts Library
> 130 St. George Street
> Toronto Ontario
> Canada M5S 1A5
> Tel. (PJRC) 416-978-1288
> Tel. (Col. Dev.) 416-978-4826
> Fax: (416) 971-2636
> [log in to unmask]
---------------
Jared Ash
831 Grandview Ave , Westfield, NJ 07090
tel / fax (908) 233-4914
[log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jennifer Dorner" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 3:37 PM
Subject: Fw: Advise on donation of books and art collection
>I have a vague recollection of seeing this discussed on the Archives list,
>but cannot find a message in a search of the Archives list archives at
>http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A0=ARCHIVES. Was this message
>discussed by anyone. I ask, because a similar message from "Katherine"
>showed up on the ha-Safran list in June and the listserv poster didn't know
>what to make of it, but got no definitive answer. I ask because my Library
>Administration is expressing interest, but I think it is a hoax, but can't
>prove it.
>
> Jennifer
>
> Jennifer Dorner
> Humanities & Social Sciences Librarian
> Millar Library
> Portland State University
> P.O. Box 1151
> Portland, OR 97207-1151
>
> Phone: 503-725-4125
> Fax: 503-725-4524
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kanatov, Mizandali and Ushakova Law firm Moscow office
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 4:49 AM
> Subject: Statement regarding the donation of books and art collection
>
> "Kanatov, Mizandali and Ushakova" Law firm Universitetskii pr. 34, Moscow,
> 172406 Russia
> 455.4522 12 lines phone
> 455.3091 fax line
> license number 8173
> established 1992
>
> Dear Sirs,
>
> Appr. 5 weeks ago, our client Katherine Pavlova has contacted you with the
> suggestion to donate the collection of books and art.
>
> Her email service is not good, and she is afraid that the email could not
> reach you.
>
> Unfortunately, she does not still have a success with it. She has asked us
> to contact you with this offer. We have better abilities to organize the
> procedure through our partners.
>
> I would like to confirm that the donation collection is following:
>
> 1. The antique book, dated 1524, by one Rabbi Samuel of Morocco
>
> 2. The first catholic Bible, printed in the USA in 1790
>
> 3. Bible Hebraica, 1573, Antwerp, Cristopher Plantin, first edition,
> Hamishan Humshei Torah
>
> 4. Works of William Shakespeare, London: Printed for H. Herringman, E.
> Brewster, and R. Bentley, 1685
>
> 5. 1759 large manuscript hymnal bible, 284 manuscript pages
>
> 6. 1611 First Edition, King James Pulpit Holy Bible
>
> 7. 1933 First Russian edition of V. Nabokov "Kamera Obskura"
>
> Paintings collections:
>
> De Beul, Franz The shepherd Canvas, oil, 65 cm x 81 cm nearby 1900
>
> Boom, Charles Tea drinking Oil, cardboard. 32x40 cm. 1890.
>
> Denonne, Alexandre At coast. Canvas, oil, 100 cm x 70 cm, nearby 1925
>
> Hans Frahm Street cafe. Canvas, oil. 22X40. Munchen. ". Germany, beginning
> XX century
>
> Frey, Alice Clowns. Canvas, oil, 118 cm x 68 cm 1930
>
> Heem de Cornelis Flower garland. Canvas, oil. 71X87 cm. Flemish school of
> painting. 1690 On the right below the signature and date: " C. DE HEEM
> 1690
> ".
>
> Moore, Edward Augustus Tree, oil. 25X20 cm. second half XIX century at the
> left below the signature: "Edward Moore ".
>
> Ajvazovskij I.K. Meeting on sea Canvas, oil. 33,8X42,5 cm
>
> Buchkuri Alexander Alekseevich Krestianka. Canvas, oil. 74X54,5. cm
>
> Voroshilov Sergey Semenovich Hunting with fleet. Canvas on a cardboard,
> oil.
> 21X29 cm
>
> Vladimirov Ivan Alekseevich In the street Petrograd. 1918. A canvas, oil.
> 42X62,5 cm
>
> Polenov Vasily Dmitrievich 1881-1882. Temple of god Honsa in Karnak Canvas
> on a cardboard, oil. 37X23,5 cm
>
> Original lithograph, numbered and signed "The Circus - Mourlot I" Marc
> Chagall
>
> The original signed screenprint part of the Cowboy and Indians Suite,
> 1986,
> by Andy Warhol
>
> Original signed lithograph by Edvard Munch, "Das Weib und der Bar"
>
> Edmund John Niemann (1813-1876) River landscape with rocky outcrop Oil on
> canvas, Signed 50.5cm x 75.5cm
>
> Sir J. Calnworth Lawkey Pencil and watercolour Bears 52cm x 72.5cm
>
> Walter Boodle "Forest river" oil on canvas, signed, 59.5*90 cm
>
> Other antiques:
>
> Icon of the Elevation of the Cross of the Lord
> 27 x 31,5 cm
> Moscow assay marks for 1908-1917 and master's initials 'AE'
> 84 silver standard
>
> The gold military chronograph by Pavel Bure with gold bracelet, 1910s the
> case marked with Swiss 583 standard (14K), master's initials 'A.B'.
> Diameter
> 4,8 cm.
> Total weight (with bracelet) 106 g.
>
> The Pavel Bure 14K gold wrist watch, appr. 1915 Swiss 583 gold standard
> Diameter 3,8 cm.
>
> Imperial Presentation Hunter Cased Rose Gold Pocket Watch by Pavel Bure,
> appr. 1900 diameter 48 mm,
>
> Coronation menu of the dinner
> Moscow Kremlin on May 15, 1896
> 25,1 x 35 cm
>
> The portraits of Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Fedorovna 1896,
> chromolithographs laid on cardboard
> 34,5 x 47,7 cm
>
> The cabinet photograph of empress Alexandra Feodorovna, appr. 1896, by
> J.Thomson of London, 10,8 x 16,6 cm
>
> Carte de visite photograph of czarevich Nicholas (later czar Nicholas
> II) and his future wife princess Alix of Hesse, appr. 1894.
> St. Petersburg photographer Vesenberg.
> 6,2 x 10,3 cm
>
> Cabinet photograph of czar Nicholas II
> by St. Petersburg photographer A.Pasetti, appr. 1894
>
> Faberge silver teapot
> St. Petersburg, appr. 1890
> workmaster's initials 'I.P.'
> Height 16 cm. Weight 780 g.
>
> Imperial Presentation Porcelain Easter Egg, by the Imperial Porcelain
> Factory, 'MF' of Empress Maria Feodorovna (mother of Nicholas II) Height
> 10,7 cm.
>
> Miniature portrait on glass of czar Alexander II, appr. 1870
>
> Cabinet photograph of artist Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky by Kharkof
> photographer Alfred Fedecki, 1898, 13,3 x 21,4 cm, signed and inscribed by
> Aivazovskii
>
> The donation procedure takes 7 - 9 days to be finished.
> My client Katherine Pavlova was not able to pay a full attention to all
> paperwork, but we will be glad to do everything on her behalf.
>
> We do hope that you might be interested in these pieces of history and we
> will be glad to assist you in receiving them.
>
> Faithfully yours,
>
> Ivan Mizandali
> senior partner of
> "Kanatov, Mizandali and Ushakova" Law firm
>
> A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the
> Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org.
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>
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>
> Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>
>
A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org.
For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask]
In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
*or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask]
Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html
Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>