Art Theft: The Case of a Stolen Renoir

Specific law governs how the ownership of a piece of art is determined. “A thief can never gain title, and may never pass title,” says Leila A. Amineddoleh, of counsel at Lombard & Geliebter and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Cultural Heritage Preservation. However, exceptions can be made if someone buys a piece without knowing it was stolen, especially if the owner didn’t make much effort to get it back.

Owner Says It’s ‘Finders, Keepers’ in Case of Stolen Renoir | Lawyers.com - JDSupra: "Buyers who want to ensure they don’t accidentally end up with a piece that was ripped off should seek out an attorney to verify that the seller is legit. “It is much cheaper to complete due diligence than to face a costly litigation or to lose an object from your collection,” the attorney advises. ”And of course, use common sense! If it seems too good to be true, then it probably isn’t true.” (read more at link above)

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