Hobby Lobby’s $1.6 million Gilgamesh tablet has been forfeited to the U.S.

[surada]

They bought a thousand ancient artifacts from looters for their Bible Museum and now they have to pay a $3 million in fines. The Gilgamesh tablet is written in Akkadian.

You'd think Christians would know better.


KEY POINTS
A 3,500-year-old clay tablet purchased by the Hobby Lobby arts and crafts chain for $1.6 million has been forfeited to the United States.
The tablet was illegally transported to the U.S. in 2003 and 2014.
In a complaint filed in May 2020, prosecutors said the 5-by-6-inch tablet is considered the property of the Iraqi government and should be returned.

Hobby Lobby's $1.6 million Gilgamesh tablet has been forfeited to the U.S.

A 3,500-year-old clay tablet purchased by the Hobby Lobby arts and crafts chain for $1.6 million has been forfeited to the United States.

www.cnbc.com

A 3,500-year-old clay tablet purchased by the Hobby Lobby arts and crafts chain for $1.6 million has been forfeited to the United States.

The tablet, which bears a portion of the epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian poem considered one of the world’s oldest works, originated in the area of modern-day Iraq and was illegally transported to the U.S. in 2003 and 2014.

A false provenance letter was used to sell the tablet several times before Hobby Lobby purchased the item from a London-based auction house in 2014.

The Gilgamesh Dream Tablet was seized by law enforcement agents from Hobby Lobby’s Washington, D.C.-based Museum of the Bible in 2019. In a complaint filed in May 2020, prosecutors said the 5-by-6-inch tablet is considered the property of the Iraqi government and should be returned. The arts and crafts company cooperated with the investigation.

Representatives from Hobby Lobby did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.



continued

 

[Sinajuavi]

USA's entitled white-right Christians behaving true to form.

This is only a part of the evil perpetrated by this fascist company.

 

[surada]

USA's entitled white-right Christians behaving true to form.

This is only a part of the evil perpetrated by this fascist company.

No kidding. They were early investors in the private prison industry.

 

[surada]

On Monday, Brooklyn federal court Judge Ann Donnelly entered an order documenting the handover of the rare cuneiform tablet. It is currently being stored in Brooklyn, the filing said.

“This forfeiture represents an important milestone on the path to returning this rare and ancient masterpiece of world literature to its country of origin,” acting Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Kasulis said in a statement Monday. “This Office is committed to combating the black-market sale of cultural property and the smuggling of looted artifacts.”

The government’s investigation uncovered that in 2003 a U.S. antiquities dealer purchased the tablet from a family member of a coin dealer in London. The item was dirty and unreadable at that time and was transported to the U.S. by international post without declaring formal entry.

The tablet was then cleaned and it was determined to be a portion of the Gilgamesh epic. In 2007, the antiquities dealer sold the artifact with a false provenance letter that stated the tablet had been inside a box of miscellaneous ancient bronze fragments that were purchased in an auction in 1981.

That false letter traveled with the tablet as it was sold several times in different countries, according to the investigation. That same letter was used when a London auction house sold the item to Hobby Lobby in a private sale in 2014. Hobby Lobby later agreed to the tablet’s forfeiture based on its illegal importations to the U.S. in 2003 and 2014.

“Forfeiture of the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet demonstrates the Department’s continued commitment to eliminating smuggled cultural property from the U.S. art market,” said Kenneth Polite, assistant attorney general, in a statement. “Thwarting trade in smuggled goods by seizing and forfeiting an ancient artifact shows the department’s dedication to using all available tools, including forfeiture, to ensure justice.”

 

[pknopp]

It was bought from what seems a legitimate auction house and one should expect proper due diligence from that auction house so I see no wrong from H.L. here.

If it was stolen, this is the proper actions to get it returned to the proper owner and it seems H.L fully cooperated and should take actions against the auction house.

 

[surada]

It was bought from what seems a legitimate auction house and one should expect proper due diligence from that auction house so I see no wrong from H.L. here.

If it was stolen, this is the proper actions to get it returned to the proper owner and it seems H.L fully cooperated and should take actions against the auction house.

It was simply black market.

"The government’s investigation uncovered that in 2003 a U.S. antiquities dealer purchased the tablet from a family member of a coin dealer in London."

 

[pknopp]

It was simply black market.

"The government’s investigation uncovered that in 2003 a U.S. antiquities dealer purchased the tablet from a family member of a coin dealer in London."

It was but a purchaser expects the auction house to do the due diligence. I never argued it wasn't stolen so I have no idea what your point is supposed to be.

 

[surada]

It was but a purchaser expects the auction house to do the due diligence. I never argued it wasn't stolen so I have no idea what your point is supposed to be.

It wasn't purchased from an auction house.

 

[pknopp]

It wasn't purchased from an auction house.

If you say so.....

From the article.

Hobby Lobby purchased the item from a London-based auction house in 2014.

 

[pknopp]

It seems this auction house was Christies. Not good for them and they are suing. They shouldn't have to sue to get their money back.

Hobby Lobby sues Christie’s for selling it an antiquity authorities say was looted

 

[surada]

If you say so.....

From the article.

Hobby Lobby purchased the item from a London-based auction house in 2014.

My quote also came from the article. Maybe I misunderstood

 

[surada]

It seems this auction house was Christies. Not good for them and they are suing. They shouldn't have to sue to get their money back.

Hobby Lobby sues Christie’s for selling it an antiquity authorities say was looted

Thanks........

 

[pknopp]

My quote also came from the article. Maybe I misunderstood

It was stolen and then misrepresented by Christies. H.L. bought it from Christies.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

It was bought from what seems a legitimate auction house and one should expect proper due diligence from that auction house so I see no wrong from H.L. here.

Yet they are being fined for their conduct.

 

[pknopp]

Yet they are being fined for their conduct.

Not over this item. They were for others......

 

[boedicca]

You morons clearly didn't even bother to read the article.

The tablet had a forged provenance. Hobby Lobby purchased it thinking it was legitimate. They have cooperated fully in the investigation.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Not over this item. They were for others......

Ah okay.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

You morons clearly didn't even bother to read the article.

The tablet had a forged provenance. Hobby Lobby purchased it thinking it was legitimate. They have cooperated fully in the investigation.

So they have mended their past ways and now buy looted treasures only by accident. Happens to everyone.

 

[themirrorthief]

So they have mended their past ways and now buy looted treasures only by accident. Happens to everyone.

I got one just like it I dug up in the garden....will sell if for five bucks no questions asked