I was very pleased with Mr. Thompson's comments.  I was an
    antiques dealer before I came on the museum scene.  I worked with
    many collectors who, out of a passion, built stunning private
    collections.  My exposure to them reminds me of people like the
    Rockefellers, who have not only built fantastic and important
    collections, but have shared those collections with the world--as
    most private collectors I have met are willing to do over time.
    May I also add that many museums have great collections because of
    the efforts of a single dedicated collector.

    What gives anyone the right to tell a person that
    they no longer "should" own their life's work and
    accomplishments?  And why is it that when so many museums today
    cannot even care for the collections that they own, do they still
    demand to hold more?

    The whole thing has perplexed me for years.


    John Handley
    San Francisco