United States returned to Russia a valuable book from the collection of Emperor Alexander III, the agency said. On Wednesday 22 October at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow ceremony of the transfer.

Head of Department for the Conservation of Cultural Property Rosohrankultury Victor Petrakov said that the book was transferred to the catalog of Imperial Hermitage art gallery. The book was published in St. Petersburg in 1889 and lost from the Gatchina Palace Museum of the Great Patriotic War.

U.S. Ambassador to Moscow John Bayerli told that is not precisely known, as the publication went to America. In the end, the book was offered for sale on the website, where she and the staff noticed Rosohrankultury. They reported this to the embassy and members of the United States Department of Homeland Security confiscated the book.

claimed the starting price at auction of books and two thousand dollars. According Petrakova, due to the fact that the book previously belonged to the imperial library, it could go up in price to ten thousand dollars if the auction took place.

The official noted that the book represents one of the first evidence of a national art history. In addition, for the imperial collection of the publication has been specially arranged.

According to Victor Petrakova, this is not the first example of cooperation between Russian and U.S. law enforcement authorities on the repatriation of cultural property. He noted that often the return of the art is a gesture of goodwill on the part owner of the object. The laws of The United States is the owner of a bona fide acquirer of things, if these items has long left the place of the previous store. According Petrakova, Rosohrankultury objective dialogue with the owner - to convince him that «nesolidno and be dishonest in his possession an object which is left from the previous owner of property crime».

Source: lenta.ru