David
          The ethics of the institution as far as their acquisition
          policy is the issue.  Do we (institutions) really always
          follow our own publicly stated policies on acquisitions. I
          can remember several instances of feeling the heat for
          insisting on documentation from potential
          donors,(documentation other than there "word" on it) and
          turning down donations where that documentation was not
          forthcoming.  If the object had a questionable  pedigree
          before the institution aquired it in my opinion it still has
          a questionable pedigree.
 
          its still early in the morning I hope this makes sense.
 
          Chuck Cecil
          ccecil@cal academy. org