I would be extrememly suspicious of this offer. I can not say for certain that it is a hoax, but there are several warning flags. For instance, if this woman actually is in Moscow and is presumably in the financial position to have these valuable works of art, I find it odd that she would not have reliable e-mail access. Internet cafes are very common and widely used in the capital. Second, the location is somewhat odd for a law firm - almost on the campus of Moscow State University and far from any financial or business centers that I know of.
Most worrisome, however, is the art itself. Even if the offer is legitimate, removing it from Russia could be very problematic from a legal and practical standpoint. Russia has strict laws limiting the removal of what is termed its "cultural treasures." Also, at the risk of sounding paranoid, extreme caution must used in establishing the provenance of these items before making any move to acquire them. Icons, in particular, where frequently stolen from churches during the Communist era. Some artwork was taken from privately held collections in occupied countries during World War II (usually referred to as "trophy art"). The current legal status of this artwork is unclear.
Jessica Tucker
Archivist
Archives and Information Services
Lorenzo de Zavala State Archivesand Library Building
1201 Brazos Street Post Office Box 12927
Austin, TX 78711-2927
512 463-5507 telephone
512 463-5436 fax
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Jennifer Dorner
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 2:37 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
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
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A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org.
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