At 10:47 AM 4/19/96 -0700, you wrote:
>Here's our latest development. Please send me any suggestions you may
>have off-list to spare everyone. NB: no speculative answers, please, as
>this is a serious issue.
>
>Recently a woman called our PR office to ask for the return of two
>narwhal tusks that we have on exhibit. She told our PR director that her
>father lent, but never donated, these specimens in the '30s. She further
>stated that, if we weren't oiling these regularly, then she would sue.
>

>Cheers,
>Sally Shelton
>Director, Collections Care and Conservation
>
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>|                                                                       |
>|                 San Diego Natural History Museum                      |
>|                          P. O. Box 1390                               |
>|                San Diego, California   92112  USA                     |
>|             phone (619) 232-3821; FAX (619) 232-0248                  |
>|                     email [log in to unmask]                          |
>|                                                                       |
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>

I'd check the abandoned property laws for the area you are in. A time span
of 60-odd years would seem to qualify. It would also seem that the
donor/lender's descendents are fishing for a lawsuit. Better to check with
your institutional lawyer before replying.
----------------------
Byron Johnson, Director
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
P.O. Box 2570
Waco, Texas 76702-2570
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 817-750-8631
------------------------------
"...Unless a people are educated and enlightened it is idle
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