Posted on: April 14, 2023 by Geoffrey Bennett
One might say that if the law of Treasure has slumbered throughout most of its long history it has now had a rude awakening. Its obscure origins in Anglo-Norman common law had nothing to do with preserving items of cultural interest and probably everything to do with a source of revenue for the Crown, albeit […]
Posted on: March 10, 2022 by Geoffrey Bennett
The taking of a major artwork from a national gallery would not normally sound like a promising scenario for an entertaining comedy-drama. Its portrayal in the recently released film The Duke is a testament to the highly unusual story that lies behind it and its central character, the improbably named Kempton Bunton. The film tells […]
Posted on: August 12, 2020 by Geoffrey Bennett
When the worlds of Art and Crime collide consideration of the issue of ‘dishonesty’ is not likely to be far behind. Not only is it a crucial ingredient in theft it also permeates other offences such as fraud under the Fraud Act 2006, or Conspiracy to Defraud at common law, and the specific offence of […]
Posted on: April 3, 2020 by Geoffrey Bennett
The impact of the Coronavirus epidemic is likely to be felt for many years across a wide range of legal issues including employment, the supply of goods and services and even human rights. In the art world, major fairs in Asia and Europe have been cancelled at comparatively short notice, auctions postponed and major exhibitions […]
Posted on: May 1, 2019 by Geoffrey Bennett
Assiduous followers of the media, and possibly even those with no interest at all, may have noticed that Her Majesty’s Government has in recent months been slightly preoccupied with European legal perspectives. It therefore came as a welcome surprise that in February 2019 the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) announced a long-awaited […]
Posted on: May 9, 2017 by Geoffrey Bennett
On the year marking the 20th anniversary of the modernisation of treasure law in England, a case has come to light serving as a throwback to the earlier law of ‘treasure trove’. The Treasure Act 1996, implemented in 1997, marked a significant advance on the previous law. The definition of ‘treasure’ under the Act is […]