Recoveries

A funerary statue from Cyrene (near present-day Shahhat in Libya) dating to the 2nd century BC is being returned to Libya.

A face jug from the Ealing Martinware thefts has been returned – the second piece from the Ealing Council’s collection to be recovered in recent months.

More metal detective finds will have a chance to be saved for the nation under new rules set to come in next year.

A group of Martinware pottery items stolen across two break-ins back in 2005 and 2007 from buildings owned by Ealing Council are still missing but there are hopes some can be recovered.

Rare books stolen in a ‘Mission: Impossible-style’ raid on a warehouse in west London in 2017 have been returned after a joint operation with Met police officers and Romanian authorities.

A 15th century Chinese vase valued at around £2.5m has been recovered in London by the Met Police.

A collection of glazed tiles believed to be 14th century examples from a memorial complex near Samarkand are to be returned to Uzbekistan.

The Metropolitan Police’s Art and Antiques Unit have helped recover three 15th century Indian bronze sculptures after one was identified in the possession of a UK dealer.

A collection of rare books valued at more than £2.5m and stolen from a London warehouse in 2017 has been recovered in Romania.

An Old Master painting restored to the family of its original Jewish owner will be offered at Sotheby’s next week with an estimate of £3m-4m.

Arts Council England has appointed the Institute of Art and Law to help form new guidance for institutions around the thorny issues of restitution and repatriation of cultural objects.

A Japanese museum has claimed it bought a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds “in good faith and without fault from a respectable art dealer” after it was identified as being stolen from a UK stately home.