Re: the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing
the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property
which the US gave its advice and consent to ratify in 1972, but did not
become a party to until 1983.

Does anyone know what year is legally binding for the US? One would assume
that it would be 1983, the year it was signed into US law, and that that
objects which left their country of origin or were imported into the
United States prior to 1983 would not be subjected to the articles of the
convention.  Yet, I've noticed that some museums, when referring to this
1970 convention in their acquisition ethics policy, have stated that
objects exported without valid export title or receipt subsequent to
December 30, 1973, may be in violation of the 1970 UNESCO Convention.
What/where is the source for this date? Are US museums simply honoring the
year the US consented to ratify even though the convention was not
actually signed into US law until 1983?

Bo K. Mompho

Davis Museum and Cultural Center
Wellesley College

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).