Christie& #39;s attacks what it says has been a rise in "unfounded accusations" from academics and the general public who, it says, are increasingly questioning the provenance of "legitimate" historical objects on ideological grounds. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/30/christies-launches-war-unfounded-accusations-questioning-origins/">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020...

Christie& #39;s: "If organisations who only work within the law turn away from this area, the trade would continue away from public view, objects would not be re-examined, catalogues published or exhibitions held..."

Christie& #39;s defense came after "concerns were raised over the provenance of a 15th Century Persian Quran manuscript it sold this summer, for a world record £7m.

"The Quran is believed to have been bought in the 1980s when there was an active trade in these types of object."

Christie& #39;s statement does not address the recent Senate investigation of Russian money laundering in the art market, which names Christie& #39;s 278 times:

https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2020-07-29%20PSI%20Staff%20Report%20-%20The%20Art%20Industry%20and%20U.S.%20Policies%20that%20Undermine%20Sanctions.pdf">https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media...

Christie& #39;s also did not address its recurring role selling (or trying to) looted antiquities in recent years, acting as middleman between anonymous sellers and anonymous buyers whose identities they protect.

We& #39;ve chronicled those here:

https://chasingaphrodite.com/?s=Christie%27s ">https://chasingaphrodite.com/...