HISTORIC GOLD BAR STOLEN FROM FLORIDA MUSEUM

THIEVES STOLE A $550,000 GOLD BAR FROM A TREASURE MUSEUM WHERE IT WENT ON DISPLAY AFTER A FLORIDA SAVAGER RECOVERED IT FROM THE WRECK OF A SPANISH GALLEON THAT LAY ON THE OCEAN FLOOR FOR CENTURIES, THE MUSEUM'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAID. THE 74.85 OUNCE GOLD BAR WAS STOLEN ON WEDNESDAY FROM THE MEL FISHER MARITIME MUSEUM IN KEY WEST, FLORIDA, IN WHAT A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MUSEUM CALLED 'A VERY QUIET SMASH AND GRAB'. THE 11 INCH GOLD BAR WAS INSIDE A GLASS CASE WITH A SMALL OPENING WHERE VISITORS COULD STICK A HAND INSIDE AND LIFT THE BAR TO EXAMINE IT. FOOTAGE FROM THE MUSEUM'S SECURITY CAMERA SHOWED TWO CULPRITS WHO MADE OFF WITH IT, AND THE FBI AND LOCAL POLICE WERE INVESTIGATING. THE MUSEUM'S INSURER OFFERED A $10,000 REWARD FOR ITS SAFE RETURN, THE MUSEUM SPOKESMAN ADDED. GOLD HAS HOVERED NEAR HISTORIC HIGHS AFTER HITTING A RECORD HIGH $1,266.50 AN OUNCE IN JUNE, BUT THE STOLEN BAR'S VALUATION REFLECTS HISTORIC VALUE FAR BEYOND ITS MELT-DOWN WORTH. MEL FISHER, A KEY WEST TREASURE HUNTER WHO DIED IN 1998, RECOVERED THE BAR IN 1980 FROM THE WRECK OF THE SANTA MARGARITA, A SPANISH GALLEON THAT SANK OFF THE FLORIDA KEYS DURING A HURRICANE IN 1622. THE GOLD BAR HAS SEVERAL DISTINCTIVE MARKINGS, INCLUDING ROMAN NUMERALS SIGNIFYING IT WAS 16 CARAT GOLD, A SYMBOL IDENTIFYING ITS OWNER, AND A SERIES OF DOTS INDICATING WHAT TAXES THE OWNER HAD PAID TO THE SPANISH CROWN. THE THEFT WAS THE TALK OF KEY WEST, AN ISLAND TOWN OF 25,000 PEOPLE AT THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE FLORIDA KEYS.

THE MET TO PRESENT 'MIRO: THE DUTCH INTERIORS'

DURING A TRIP TO THE NETHERLANDS IN SPRING 1928, THE CATALAN PAINTER JOAN MIRO (1893–1983) PURCHASED POSTCARDS FROM THE MUSEUMS HE VISITED. TWO 17th CENTURY DUTCH GENRE SCENES PARTICULARLY CAUGHT HIS ATTENTION AND SERVED AS THE INSPIRATION FOR A SERIES OF PAINTINGS HE CREATED THAT SUMMER. THE TRAVELING EXHIBITION 'MIRO: THE DUTCH INTERIORS', WHICH OPENS AT THE RIJKSMUSEUM, AMSTERDAM, AND WILL BE ON VIEW AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART BEGINNING 5.OCTOBER, FEATURES MIRO'S THREE 'DUTCH INTERIORS' AND TWO OLD MASTER PAINTINGS ON WHICH THEY ARE BASED. THE NEW YORK VENUE WILL ALSO SHOW PREPARATORY DRAWINGS AND ADDITIONAL PAINTINGS BY MIRO IN THE METROPOLITAN'S COLLECTION. THE EXHIBITION IS THE FIRST IN WHICH MIRO'S PAINTINGS HAVE BEEN HUNG ALONGSIDE THE DUTCH GOLDEN AGE PICTURES THAT INSPIRED THEM. THE EXHIBITION BRINGS TOGETHER THREE PAINTINGS BY MIRO, DUTCH INTERIOR I, DUTCH INTERIOR II AND DUTCH INTERIOR III, THAT ARE BASED ON TWO 17th CENTURY WORKS IN AMSTERDAM'S RIJKMUSUEM. THE DUTCH PAINTINGS, THE LUTE PLAYER BY HENDRICK SORGH AND CHILDREN TEACHING A CAT TO DANCE BY JAN STEEN, BOTH FEATURE A MUSICIAN, AN AUDIENCE OF ONE OR MORE PEOPLE, AND A CAT AND A DOG. WHEN REINTERPRETED BY MIRO, THE SCENES UNDERGO A COMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS. WHEN STEEN'S HUMOROUS GENRE SCENE WAS TRANSFORMED INTO THE IMAGINATIVE DUTCH INTERIOR II, MIRO ENLARGED AND FOCUSED ON THE ANIMATE FIGURES, BOTH HUMAN AND ANIMAL, WHILE DE-EMPHASIZING THE INANIMATE OBJECTS. THE CAT IS AT THE SWIRLING CENTER OF MIRO'S COMPOSITION, AND THE NOISE AND CHAOS OF THE DANCING LESSON ARE COMMUNICATED THROUGH MOTION AND RHYTHM.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.metmuseum.org

DALI STATUE STOLEN FROM EXHIBITION IN BELGIUM

THE SCULPTURE 'WOMAN WITH DRAWERS' BY SALVADOR DALI, VALUED AT OVER $90,000, WAS STOLEN FROM AN EXHIBITION HALL IN BRUGES (NW BELGIUM), THE BELGIAN PRESS REPORTED TODAY. A SECURITY CAMERA FILMED HOW THE THIEVES HID THE STATUE INA BAG AND LEFT THE SHOW SHORTLY AFTER NOON WEDNESDAY, IMAGES THAT ARE BEING ANALYZED BY POLICE, ACCORDING TO SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS. THE THEFT HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED YET BY THE COMPANY HOSTING THE EXHIBITION, INTERART. THE WORK, A BRONZE OF ABOUT 50 CENTIMETERS WIDE AND 30 WIDE TALL, WEIGHS ABOUT TEN KILOS. INTERART HAS BEEN ORGANIZING SUCCESSFUL EXHIBITIONS WITH WORK OF THE SPANISH SURREALIST PAINTER SALVADOR DALI SINCE 1991. INTERART EXHIBITED A LARGE COLLECTION OF DALI'S PAINTINGS, WATERCOLOURS, DRAWINGS AND OBJECTS AT THE BRUGES ARTS CENTER OUD SINT-JAN IN 1997. AFTER YEARS OF COLLECTING AND RESEARCH, INTERART OPENED THE PERMANENT MUSEUM-GALLERY XPO: SALVADOR DALI, MARQUIS DE PUBOL IN THE BELFRY OF BRUGES. THE OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF WATERCOLOURS, DRAWINGS, SCULPTURES AND FAMOUS WORKS OF GRAPHIC ART ARE ON DISPLAY IN A UNIQUE AND EXCLUSIVE BUILDING, WHICH HAS BEEN DECORATED BY BARRON SAINT MYTHELFINGER, THE 360° ARTIST DESIGNER OF GRAND OPERA DECOR. HE TRANSFERRED THE MEDIEVAL HALL INTO A DALINIAN SHOWROOM, A WORK OF ART ON ITSELF. ITS COLOURS ARE GOLD, MOTHER OF PEARL AND SHOCKING PINK.

VDARA HOTEL TO PRESENT 'THE ABBEY BEACH' PARTY

THE LUXURIOUS VDARA HOTEL AT CITYCENTER IN LAS VEGAS HAS BECOME THE LATEST TO HAVE A SUNDAY POOL PARTY, BUT THEIRS HAS A UNIQUE TWIST. THE HOTEL HAS PARTNERED WITH THE POPULAR ICONIC GAY HOLLYWOOD HOTSPOT, THE ABBEY AND LAS VEGAS PARTY PLANNER EDUARDO CORDOVA TO CREATE 'THE ABBEY BEACH', A LGBT POOL PARTY. EACH SUNDAY BEGINNING 22.AUGUST, VDARA POOL & LOUNGE WILL BECOME A BEACH THEMED PARTY WITH COULOURFUL FLAGS, BEACH BALLS AND BEACH SAND, WHILE ITS 19 CABANAS WILL BE SERVICED BY THE BEAUTIFUL ABBEY BOYS. THE ABBEY'S BARTENDERS FROM WEST HOLLYWOOD WILL MAKE SPECIAL APPEARANCES TO KEEP THE MOJITOS AND MARTINIS FLOWING WHILE A ROTATING LINEUP FROM THE ABBEY'S RESIDENT DJs WILL KEEP THE PARTY MOVING. 'WE ARE EXCITED TO WELCOME THE LGBT COMMUNITY WITH HIGH-ENERGY, UPSCALE PARTY UNLIKE ANYTHING IN LAS VEGAS', SAID MARY GIULIANO, GENERAL MANAGER FOR VDARA HOTEL 7 SPA. 'WITH OUR DESIGNER ARCHITECTURE, PERSONAL SERVICE AND UNIQUE LOCATION, VDARA IS QUICKLY BECOMING A HOT DESTINATION FOR THE SOPHISTICATED LGBT TRAVELER.' THE ABBEY BEACH AT VDARA POOL 7 LOUNGE OCCURS EVERY SUNDAY NOW THROUGH 26.SEPTEMBER, NOON-6.pm, LABOR DAY WEEKEND'S EVENT WILL MOVE FROM SUNDAY TO MONDAY. COVER IS COMPLEMENTARY FOR VDARA HOTEL GUESTS, $10 FOR LAS VEGAS LOCALS AND $20 FOR ALL OTHER GUESTS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.vdara.com

LOUIS VUITTON TRAVEL 2010

THE LATEST LOUIS VUITTON CAMPAIGN FOR THE TRAVEL 2010 CATOLOG WAS SHOT IN AFRICA AND STARS THE BEAUTIFUL GREAT GRAND-DAUGHTER OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY, DREE HEMINGWAY. THE ELEGANT AND STUNNING JOURNEY, WHICH INCLUDES SUNSETS, LION CUBS AND A WIDE VARIETY OF ICONIC LOUIS VUITTON ACCESSORIES AND FASHIONS, WAS PHOTOGRAPHED BY CARTER SMITH, DIRECTED BY WILLIAM SNIEG, STYLED BY ANTJE AND PRODUCED BY BRACHFELD.

QUEEN VICTORIA'S GIFT TO JOHN BROWN SELLS FOR £23,400

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FROM QUEEN VICTORIA TO HER FAVORITE PERSONAL SERVANT, JOHN BROWN, SOLD FOR £23,400 AT BONHAMS SCOTTISH SALE IN EDINBURGH. A SILVER MOUNTED CLARET JUG, ENGRAVED 'V.R. TO J.B/VICTORIA 1872', WHICH REMAINED IN BROWN'S FAMILY UNTIL ACQUIRED BY THE CURRENT OWNER IN THE 1960s, SOLD FOR £14,300. IT HAD BEEN ESTIMATED AT £4,000 – 6,000. A TEAPOT ENGRAVED 'FROM VICTORIA R/CHRISTMAS 1876' AND MONOGRAMMED 'J.B.', WHICH WAS ESTIMATED FOR £5,000 – 7,000, SOLD FOR £9000. TWO VERY PERSONAL TRIBUTES TO BROWN PRODUCED AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1883 ALSO SOLD FOR WELL OVER THEIR ESTIMATES. A PRESENTATION MEMORIAL LOCKET CONTAINING AN ENAMELED PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT OF JOHN BROWN AND A LOCK OF HIS HAIR INSCRIBED ON THE FRONT 'DEAR JOHN/27 MARCH 1883' AND ON THE REVERSE 'FROM V.R.I.' MADE £13,200. A MEMORIAL STICKPIN WITH AN ENAMELED PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT AND THE ENGRAVING 'UNCLE JOHN/27 MARCH/FROM V.R.I.' PRESENTED BY THE QUEEN TO ONE OF BROWN'S NEPHEWS FETCHED £4,560. A GOLD MEMORIAL STICKPIN OF BROWN DESIGNED FOR HER HIGHLAND SERVANTS AND COTTAGERS TO BE WORN ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH, MADE £2,880. AND FINALLY, A PAINTED PORCELAIN PLAQUE OF ONE OF THE QUEEN VICTORIA'S FAVORITE DOGS, FERN, PRESENTED TO BROWN BY HER MAJESTY WAS SOLD FOR £10,560.

ART LOSS REGISTER RETURNS THREE RARE COINS TO OWNER

IT WAS NEARLY TEN YEARS AGO WHEN PROMINENT BRITISH COIN DEALER STEPHEN FENTON OF KNIGHTSBRIDGE COINS PURCHASED FIVE RARE COINS AT A SOTHEBY'S AUCTION IN NEW YORK. POST SALE, FENTON ENTRUSTED FEDEX TO SHIP THE COINS OVERNIGHT, AND AS PROMISED, THE BOX ARRIVED NEXT DAY AT KNIGHTSBRIDGE COINS IN LONDON. IMAGINE FENTON'S SURPRISE WHEN HE OPENED THE PACKAGE TO FIND IT STUFFED FULL OF WHITE PACKING PAPER BUT NO COINS. LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FEDEX OFFICIALS WERE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED. INVESTIGATORS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE COINS HAD NEVER LEFT THE US, ON THE BASIS THAT THE GREEN AND WHITE STRIPED TAPE USED TO RESEAL THE BOX AFTER IT WAS LOOTED WAS EXCLUSIVELY USED AT NEWARK AIRPORT'S FEDEX WAREHOUSE IN NEW JERSEY. THOUGH POLICE QUESTIONED A FORMER FEDEX EMPLOYEE, THE THIEF WAS NEVER CAUGHT. FENTON PROCEEDED TO REGISTER ALL FIVE COINS ON THE ART LOSS REGISTER'S INTERNATIONAL DATABASE OF STOLEN AND MISSING ART, A RESOURCE THAT CHAMPIONS DUE DILIGENCE CHECKS PRIOR TO GOOD FAITH PURCHASES OF ARTWORKS AND DECORATIVE OBJECTS. A DECADE LATER, THREE OF THE FIVE COINS LOOTED APPEARED AT AUCTION, A GERMAN EAST AFRICA, 15 RUPIEN COIN (1916), A JAPANESE, MUTSUHITO, 1867-1912, 20 YEN COIN, GOLD, MEIJI 3 (1870), AND A BRITISH COLONIAL PROOF TRADE DOLLAR COIN, STRUCK IN GOLD (1902). TODAY, THE THREE COINS ARE COLLECTIVELY VALUED AT OVER £30,000. FENTON ENLISTED IN THE ALR TO CONTACT THE THREE AUCTION HOUSE INVOLVED, AND THE COINS WERE PULLED FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE SALES. ANOTHER MAJOR COIN DEALER FROM THE UNITED STATES WHO HAD CONSIGNED ALL THREE LOTS, CLAIMED HE HAD PURCHASED THE COINS IN GOOD FAITH FROM ANOTHER DEALER. WITH THE HELP OF DETECTIVE ROBERT MEDAGLIA OF THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY POLICE, THE CASE WAS REOPENED AND A RELEASE WAS NEGOTIATED WITH THE COSIGNER. THE COINS WERE RETURNED TO FENTON BY THE ALR ON BEHALF OF HIS INSURER. 'EVERYONE'S ENTITLED TO A SECOND CHANCE', SAYS MARINELLO. 'WHEN IT CAME TIME TO SHIP THE COINS FROM NEW YORK LAW ENFORCEMENT BACK TO LONDON, WE DECIDED TO USE FEDEX.'