Lady Pauline Kirkham ?

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United Kingdom: the export of works of art in question
Review of legislation facing increasing demands private

A change in UK regulations governing the export of works of art could take in response to rising British private buyers who are trying to play their right of first refusal on works subject to obtaining a certificate of export. Some now believe it would be preferable that these masterpieces are exhibited in museums abroad rather than stay in Britain, within inaccessible private collections. Secretary of State for National Heritage, Virginia Bottomley, has informed the conclusions of a report on the various reform options.
LONDON (Our correspondent) - In the United Kingdom since the enactment of laws Ridley, private collectors may use the same pre-emption rights that museums in acquiring works of art subject to an authorization request to leave the country ... while not obliged to guarantee access to the public. Until 1990, only the purchase proposals from public institutions were included in the possible postponement of the granting of an export license. But to accede to the request of two English collectors (David and Frederick Barclay) who wanted to buy Canova's Three Graces, for which the Getty Museum had offered 7.6 million pounds, Nicholas Ridley - then Secretary of State for Trade and for Industry - has expanded the powers at the time of public collections to private collectors. Since then, seven times British private collectors have submitted bids to the Reviewing Committee, responsible for issuing export licenses.

Three bonds
This committee is radically opposed to the continued existence of laws and Ridley, in light of its opinion, Virginia Bottomley and the Department of National Heritage suggested that the private collectors may use their right of preemption be compelled to three bonds at least: providing public access, ensuring optimal storage conditions and comply with conditions of sale, to be defined. Thus, it could be banned for collectors to sell their acquisitions for a number of years in order to discourage speculative buying. The report further suggests that public institutions could benefit from a right of first refusal on resale, and that obligations for access and preservation could be taxed similarly to any subsequent purchasers. These could lead to the adoption of new legislation, or signing of agreements between the buyers and the Secretary of State or other public body.

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Policy Issues
So far, this debate was overshadowed by the lack of information regarding the type of collectors who have benefited from the provisions of the laws Ridley. We now know that the mysterious buyer of reading of Molière, by De Troy, sold 4.7 million pounds last year, is Wafik Said, a billionaire who regularly acts as an intermediary in the conclusion of contracts armament in the Middle East. Among other major recipients of laws Ridley, Sir Graham Kirkham, a furniture dealer in recent years become one of the most prominent collectors of the United Kingdom. In 1995, through the Pyms Gallery, he bought the Temptation of St. Mary Magdalene by Johann Liss for 1 million pounds. Graham Kirkham was also interested in a Holy Family by Fra Bartolomeo (see our previous issue), eventually acquired by the Getty Museum for $ 14 million pounds (112 million francs).

The fact that Sir Wafik Said and Kirkham are strong supporters of the Conservative Party has made the reform of regulation of export of works of art into a political issue particularly sensitive. Indeed, Wafik Said maintains business relationships with Mark Thatcher, and he is friends with Margaret Thatcher. For his part, Sir Kirkham made a donation in 1995 of 4 million pounds to the Tories.

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