Sotheby’s is taking Greece’s Ministry of Culture to court over the ownership of an Greek bronze horse, “to clarify the rights of legitimate owners”, amid rising numbers of similar claims by countries of origin. The antique artefact was purchased by private collectors in 1973. It is thought to be the first time the auction house has launched a law suit against a government.
Tatiana Flessas, an expert in cultural heritage law, commented: “There’s been a paradigm shift in the approach to antiquities dealing. Auction houses are now being forced to take on some of the risk of the provenance questions where antiquities are concerned.”
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