Trade Professionals Speak Common Sense

The respected voice of Peter Tompa's blog discusses the unreasonable demands for documentation of the anti-collecting league: ''Peter Tompa's Trade Professionals Speak Common Sense ':

The Ivory Tower academics of the archeological lobby often speak about requiring "provenance information" and "export certificates" as proof that items are not the products of recent looting. However, those with actual practical experience in the international trade of cultural goods have once again demonstrated that coming up with such documentation is easier said than done.

Numismatic professional Alfredo de la Fe has written about the lack of provenance information for most coins and antiquities dealer James Ede has explained the impossible task of supplying export certificates that simply don't exist.

Hopefully, decision makers will give much needed consideration to these practical concerns raised by those in the know.