Description
Unlike the glamour and intrigue in James Bond films or literary mysteries, art theft is no "Dr. No", as Amore (head of security, Isabella Stewart Gardner museum) and Mashberg (investigative reporter) explain artfully. In reality, most of the thieves are not wealthy masterminds seeking to add to their private collection, but penny-ante burglars and robbers whose rap sheets include home invasions, bank robberies or drug dealing. Inspired by a series of thefts of three Rembrandts and other rare gems in 1990, the authors give the inside scoop on the heists, the investigation, and even Rembrandt himself. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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A spellbinding journey into the high-stakes world of art theft Today, art theft is one of the most profitable criminal enterprises in the world, exceeding $6 billion in losses to galleries and art collectors annually. And the masterpieces of Rembrandt van Rijn are some of the most frequently targeted. In Stealing Rembrandts, art security expert Anthony M. Amore and award-winning investigative reporter Tom Mashberg reveal the actors behind the major Rembrandt heists in the last century. Through thefts around the world - from Stockholm to Boston, Worcester to Ohio - the authors track daring entries and escapes from the world's most renowned museums. There are robbers who coolly walk off with multimillion dollar paintings; self-styled art experts who fall in love with the Dutch master and desire to own his art at all costs; and international criminal masterminds who don't hesitate to resort to violence. They also show how museums are thwarted in their ability to pursue the thieves - even going so far as to conduct investigations on their own, far away from the maddening crowd of police intervention, sparing no expense to save the priceless masterpieces. Stealing Rembrandts is an exhilarating, one-of-a-kind look at the black market of art theft, and how it compromises some of the greatest treasures the world has ever known.
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