Asian art auctions kick off in New York after US special agents seize stolen Indian statues

By: ArtDaily.org on Monday, March 14th, 2016 at 8:48 pm

New York kicks off its annual week of Asian art sales Tuesday, red-faced after stolen Indian statues were impounded from Christie's and testing the market in the face of a Chinese economic slowdown. US special agents seized the sandstone statues, dating back to the eighth and 10th centuries, from Christie's auction house following an international investigation with assistance from India and Interpol, US officials said. Both objects had been valued at $150,000 and $300,000, and were listed in Christie's sale of Indian and Himalayan art on Tuesday. "We have withdrawn the lots and we are fully cooperating with the authorities on their investigation," a spokesperson for the auction house said. US agents said both artifacts came from a specific smuggler, and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance warned art dealers and auction houses to do everything possible to avoid selling stolen cultural heritage. Christie's said the auction house would never
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