Ohio Museum Sells Antiquities

The Toledo Museum of Art houses an impressive collection of ancient and contemporary artifacts, but now in a clearout of its stores is deaccessinge some items, making them available to collectors: Ohio Museum's Sale of Antiquities From Egypt Draws Criticism October 24, 2016

Ohio's Toledo Museum of Art is selling 68 antiquities from its collection, a move drawing criticism from a nationally known archaeologist and Egyptian officials. The Blade newspaper reports about half the items are from Egypt. Others come from Cyprus, Greece and Italy. They're being sold in a New York auction on Tuesday and an online sale closing the same day. The museum's director says its board approved selling the items that didn't meet the current collection's quality. He says it expects to generate about $500,000, which can be used on other acquisitions. Art expert and Toledo native Joan Connelly says it's distressing because modern laws make it difficult to acquire such items.

Which is precisely why legally acquired items should be made available to collectors.