thedrifter
04-03-08, 08:43 AM
April 3, 2008
Collector Sues Museum Over War Photos
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A history enthusiast has sued the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, claiming it lost several of his World War II-era photographs, including the shot of the flag raising on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima.
The man, Rodney Hilton Brown, says the photos were part of the World War II memorabilia that he lent to the museum, which is sited on a retired aircraft carrier usually docked in the Hudson River, initially in 1995 and again in 2005.
Mr. Brown, a mortgage broker who collects historical artifacts as a hobby, said that at least 8 of 52 pictures were missing when the museum returned his collection to his vacation home in Fairhaven, Mass., in November 2006.
The museum returned most borrowed items to owners after it decided in the summer of 2006 to put the Intrepid in dry dock for repairs, Mr. Brown said.
He said photos missing from his collection included the iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning shot by the Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal of marines raising Old Glory on Mount Suribachi. He said the missing photos were worth about $175,000.
Bill White, the museum’s president, issued a statement saying: “We are surprised and disappointed to hear of the filing of this lawsuit. We have referred this matter to our insurance representatives.” He said that the museum used its “limited resources” to honor and support the country’s military members and their families. “This unfortunate action detracts from our carrying out this critically important national mission,” he said.
Mr. Brown, 64, said he bought Mr. Rosenthal’s personal album of original photographs from the Battle of Iwo Jima from a retired Air Force major in 1990 for $5,000. The major “had gotten it from the photographer himself,” he said.
An appraiser hired by Mr. Brown estimated in a June 2007 report that the lost pictures were worth about $175,000, according to his lawsuit, which seeks that amount in damages and accuses the museum of negligence and breach of fiduciary duty for taking the album apart to display certain photos and then losing some of them.
Ellie
Collector Sues Museum Over War Photos
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A history enthusiast has sued the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, claiming it lost several of his World War II-era photographs, including the shot of the flag raising on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima.
The man, Rodney Hilton Brown, says the photos were part of the World War II memorabilia that he lent to the museum, which is sited on a retired aircraft carrier usually docked in the Hudson River, initially in 1995 and again in 2005.
Mr. Brown, a mortgage broker who collects historical artifacts as a hobby, said that at least 8 of 52 pictures were missing when the museum returned his collection to his vacation home in Fairhaven, Mass., in November 2006.
The museum returned most borrowed items to owners after it decided in the summer of 2006 to put the Intrepid in dry dock for repairs, Mr. Brown said.
He said photos missing from his collection included the iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning shot by the Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal of marines raising Old Glory on Mount Suribachi. He said the missing photos were worth about $175,000.
Bill White, the museum’s president, issued a statement saying: “We are surprised and disappointed to hear of the filing of this lawsuit. We have referred this matter to our insurance representatives.” He said that the museum used its “limited resources” to honor and support the country’s military members and their families. “This unfortunate action detracts from our carrying out this critically important national mission,” he said.
Mr. Brown, 64, said he bought Mr. Rosenthal’s personal album of original photographs from the Battle of Iwo Jima from a retired Air Force major in 1990 for $5,000. The major “had gotten it from the photographer himself,” he said.
An appraiser hired by Mr. Brown estimated in a June 2007 report that the lost pictures were worth about $175,000, according to his lawsuit, which seeks that amount in damages and accuses the museum of negligence and breach of fiduciary duty for taking the album apart to display certain photos and then losing some of them.
Ellie