13.08.2008 - Kingsland Collection Contained Stolen Works
Some of the works left behind by eccentric socialite and art dealer William M. V. Kingsland are believed to have been stolen, reports the Associated Press.
When Kingsland died two years ago, he left an extensive collection of Pablo Picasso paintings and other works stacked floor-to-ceiling in his apartment. Because he left no will and no heirs stepped up to claim the collection, city officials hired two auction houses to sort through and sell off the works, worth an estimated $600,000 or more.
Christie's found that some of the art had been reported stolen in the 1960s and 1970s, and a gallery owner who bought a portrait by John Singleton Copley from Stair Galleries found it had been donated to Harvard University in 1943 and never sold.
At least 20 pieces are believed to have been stolen, and FBI agents are investigating the rest of the collection and whether Kingsland may have been involved in the thefts. Photos of Christie's half of the collection have been posted on the FBI Web site in hopes that the rightful owners will claim the works.
Proceeds from the auctions will go to the city office that handles estates for people without wills or known relatives (Artinfo.com).
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