.  If someone
> responds to the ad the law only states that the claimant must give proof of
> ownership to the museum's satisfaction.  We're having trouble deciding
> exactly what "to our satisfaction" means.  You're going to have to decide that on a case-by-case basis.  We had a case of a loan made in 1916, and a great-grandaughter of the lender's second wife tried to claim the collection saying she was the only remaining relative.  She wasn't; there was another relative, a great-grandson of the lender's first wife.  He wanted the collection to remain in the museum.  Since they both could claim equal share and had differing views, the state attorney general's office ruled that the collection would remain at the museum--essentially in limbo--until the family made a decision.

Ideally, you'd like to have a copy of a will stating that the collection had been left to the claimant, assuming the lender is deceased.  In lieu of that, you'll just have to do research and consult an attorney in difficult cases.  Sometimes the executor of the will can help make the decision for you if the collection in question wasn't dealt with specifically.

Does the person have to have the
> original loan receipt, which is very unlikely for a 60 year old loan?  Unlikely, but it can happen.  In the 1970s, an elderly woman came into our offices with a copy of her loan agreement from 1914 and wanted her loan returned.  We didn't even have a copy in our files!  Fortunately, I found the item and returned it to her.  And I made a copy of the signed agreement noting said return and place it in our files.

Martha Battle Jackson
Registrar/Curator
North Carolina State Historic Sites
Mailing Address: 4625 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC  27699-4625
Street Address:  301 North Blount Street, Raleigh, NC  27601
(919) 733-3456; Fax: (919) 733-9034
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E-mail correspondence to and from this sender may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties.  The views expressed by the sender may not reflect those of my agency.

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