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Cultural Items Totalling £5.6 Million In Value Saved For The Nation Following Export Deferral

178/05

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has, today, published her first report on the export controls on objects of cultural interest, as required by the Export Control Act 2002. 

 This report is published together with the 51st Annual Report of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art.

During the period 1 May 2004 to 30 April 2005, Ministers placed, following recommendations from the Reviewing Committee, temporary bars on the export of twenty-five objects of outstanding significance including paintings, clothing, silverware, written documents and coins.  Of these, nine items worth £5.6 million have been saved for the nation following export deferral.

Details of all the cases are contained in the annual report of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art, run by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. The Committee provides independent advice to the Secretary of State on the pre-eminence of cultural and historic objects seeking export licences.

Culture Minister David Lammy said: 

"I am delighted that nine items placed under deferral have been purchased and will be retained in this country. All these 'saved' items, which represent a variety of cultural artefacts, will now become available for the public to enjoy, some in regions where they hold a particular significance."

Mark Wood, Chairman of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council commented: 

"The work of the committee is vital, without it important objects would be lost overseas.  I would like to congratulate the Chairman of the Reviewing Committee, Lord Inglewood, and all Committee members for their work and the role they play in securing our heritage. "

The items that have been acquired by institutions and individuals in the United Kingdom are:

  • a rare embroidered linen doublet, purchased by the National Museums of Scotland ( £25,935);  
  • a rare silver Iron Age coin, purchased by the British Museum (£2,000); 
  • the Macclesfield Psalter, purchased  by the Fitzwilliam Museum, (£1,685,600);
  • a Cartier multi-gem bandeau, purchased by a private purchaser who has generously agreed to place it on loan it to the Victoria & Albert Museum for ten years (£300,000);
  • a marble sculpture by Benedetto Pistrucci, purchased by the Alice Trust (£150,000);
  • a pink satin and black bugle beaded bodice, purchased by the Manchester City Galleries (£12,350);
  • a drawing by Sir Thomas Lawrence of Mary Hamilton, purchased by the British Museum (£165,000);
  • a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds, The Archers, purchased by Tate (£3,200,000);
  • the Melchett cast-iron fire basket – depicting a parrot, purchased by the Victoria and Albert Museum (£66,000).

Ministers and the Reviewing Committee were pleased to note significant grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the National Art Collections Fund, and the MLA/Victoria and Albert Museum Purchase Grant Fund, which made many of these purchases possible.

Notes to Editors

From April 2005, responsibility for administering the work of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art was passed by DCMS to the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA). Media enquiries on the operation and casework arising from RCEWA and the export licence system should go to Emma Poole/ Gemma Crisp on 020 7273 1459, email emma.poole@mla.gov.uk and gemma.crisp@mla.gov.uk

Press Enquiries: 020 7211 6052/6277
Out of hours telephone pager no: 07699 751153
Public Enquiries: 020 7211 6200

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