Art Law Report Header-1

UPDATE: Court Denies Government's Request to Amend Case to Reclaim Mask of Ka-Nefer-Nefer from St. Louis Art Museum

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on June 1, 2012 at 8:37 AM

Fresh on the heels of our coverage here and here and in the Atlantic, the U.S. District Court in St. Louis has rejected the U.S. government's efforts to save its case to reclaim the Mask of Ka-Nefer-Nefer.

After the case was dismissed in April, the government asked the court for permission to amend the complaint to add facts that it said would, if true, establish that the Mask had been stolen before it was imported into the U.S. (and thus would violate U.S. customs laws).

In a brief order, the court ruled today that the motion presented no new evidence or arguments, and that the court declined to revisit its decision. The government may appeal, if it wishes, but for now it's a clean win for the museum.

Topics: Mask of Ka-Nefer-Nefer, St. Louis Art Museum, Collections, Customs, The Atlantic

Sullivan logo

About the Blog


The Art Law Report provides timely updates and commentary on legal issues in the museum and visual arts communities. It is authored by Nicholas M. O'Donnell, partner in our Art & Museum Law Practice.

The material on this site is for general information only and is not legal advice. No liability is accepted for any loss or damage which may result from reliance on it. Always consult a qualified lawyer about a specific legal problem.

Meet the Editor

Subscribe to Blog

Recent Posts

Posts by Topic

see all