Deceived by a collector bought a group of alleged perpetrators of Greek and Etruscan artifacts in the hundreds of thousands of euros. Many possible forgeries, he exchanged it for the original work from his own collection

theartnewspaper.com

In Italy arrested a gang of criminals who are suspected of falsifying thousands of Greek and Etruscan artifacts. police last year conducted a raid on two houses, leaving seven people were arrested.

The leader of the gang was allegedly Edoardo David (Edoardo David), recognized as an archaeologist, are often advised the regional office of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Cultural Activities of Italy (Soprintendenza) in Lazio. principal accomplices were former boxer David Monaco, Massimo (Massimo Monaco) and Mariano Kapomadzhi ( Mariano Capomaggi). All three are now awaiting trial in a Roman prison.

Another four people are under house arrest: Corradi Enrico (Enrico Corradi) - dealer of antiquities from the Aprilia near Rome, Massimo Bordeaux (Massimo Bordo) and Massimiliano Kondzhu (Massimiliano Congiu) - specialists in pottery from Tarquinia, and Domedi Enrico (Enrico Diomedi) - Hospital nurse in Tivoli, which allegedly opened criminals access to x-ray machine, which they are irradiated thousands of alleged fraud.

X-ray irradiation makes it impossible to follow thermoluminescence artifact (a method of dating in archeology, based on the speed of the alpha-decay). Any ceramic object, burned in a furnace at high temperature, emits a faint fluorescent glow. power of this light measured to determine the age of ceramic products: the brighter the light, the older subject. However, if the artifact is subjected to processing X-rays, tests for thermoluminescence will be useless.

In the period from March 2009 to April 2010 the Marquis Bilotti Rudzhi d'Aragona Roberto (Roberto Bilotti Ruggi d'Aragona), an aristocrat, philanthropist and collector of antiquities from Rome, hoping to expand his collection and to establish its own museum of antiquities has spent 600,000 euros for the purchase of about 300 works, which police believe fakes.

Bilotti also said that many of the artifacts, the authenticity of which he had no doubt he received in exchange for priceless works of his collection, including family heirlooms and antique furniture. gang of criminals in this way acquired a collection of objects from the philanthropist for more than one million euros. In the end, the Marquis began to feel suspicious of an unprecedented number of artifacts, which he proposed. And once in April 2010, unidentified stolen from his home a vase with a picture of Achilles, which is in front of this many times unsuccessfully tried to negotiate his alleged poddelschiki, Bilotti finally went to the police.

Police searched the house of David Edoardo (Edoardo David) and Bordeaux Massimo (Massimo Bordo). in the house of David were found more than two thousands of authentic artifacts. Provenance them all yet to be established, but some work has already been identified: among them there are artifacts from the collection of the Marquis, as well as a lot of stolen items. In the house of Bordeaux, were found three thousand alleged forgeries, ready for sale.

expert on ceramics Massimo Bordeaux, according to unconfirmed reports, produced by a complex counterfeiting technology: a small amount of crushed authentic antique ceramics, mixed it with modern materials and the resulting mixture of sculpted new pieces.

Now police are trying to determine whether there were in this scam other victims besides Bilotti, and whether there were other accomplices.

Prepared by Mary Onuchina AI

Sources : artinvestment.ru