In a message dated Fri, 18 Aug 2000 10:05:18 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Maria Sanchez <[log in to unmask]> writes:

<< Hmm since when have have musems not been elitist?  I think selling these
objects promotes unethical collecting. Just my opinion.

Which is more unethical: legally finding an object and either keeping it for your collection or legally selling it or a museum coming in and taking objects from private citizens that were collected in legal ways.

From what i can tell by the catalog descriptions, all of these objects in the auction with the possible exception of the Apollo 11 piece, were gained through people stumbling across them or getting them through other legal means. I don't think museums have any right to say what people do with their own personal property, no matter how valuable or significant the objects might be. I might not agree with someone keeping something significant in their private collections but I'll never advocate laws requiring people to give up something they have acquired through legal means.

As for the Apollo 11 piece, I would think that it is government property and would have to be returned to the government but i could be wrong.

Deb

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