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Russian Ship Turns Away from San Francisco as Part of Chabad Russian Art Embargo Dispute

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on October 31, 2011 at 5:05 AM

In a story that did not seem like it could get any more unusual, the long-running Chabad library dispute in Washington, DC that has resulted in a Russian fine art loan embargo for nearly a year took a maritime turn in San Francisco this weekend. At the last minute, a sailing ship named the Nadezhda that was headed to San Francisco on a goodwill tour stopped short of entering the port. It anchored just outside the Golden Gate and awaited a pilot to guide it in. When the pilot headed out, a message was received that the Russian ship would not be docking, and it headed for Mexico.

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Topics: Russia, Restitution, art embargo, Foreign Sovereign Immunities, Chabad

Russian Art Embargo News: Chabad Plaintiffs Put Request for Sanctions on Hold

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on October 20, 2011 at 10:21 AM

The Chabad Lubavitch plaintiffs who have been trying for more than six years to obtain the return of the library of Menachem Schneerson—a case which has resulted in an embargo of Russian art loans to the United States for nearly a year—took the unexpected step this week of asking the court to refrain from ruling on a pending motion to find the Russian defendants in contempt. The Russian defendants—who have not appeared or filed anything since refusing to participate further last year, resulting in the default judgment against them—had until October 18 to contest the contempt allegations related to their failure to obey the judgment against them (to return the library).

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Topics: Russia, Restitution, World War II, art embargo, Foreign Sovereign Immunities, Chabad

The Met Joins Russian Art Embargo Dispute

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on September 8, 2011 at 8:05 AM

In the latest development in one of this year’s farthest-reaching art law issues, the Metropolitian Museum of Art announced in August that it will no longer lend its works of art within the Russian Federation so long as the Russian embargo on U.S. loans persists. The Met had planned to loan works by French designer Paul Poiret to the exhibition “Paul Poiret – King of Fashion” at the Kremlin Museum.

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Topics: Russia, Restitution, World War II, art embargo, Foreign Sovereign Immunities, Chabad

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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.

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