Buyer Beware

Stolen art has been found in the collection of a famous movie director.

A Norman Rockwell work stolen in suburban St. Louis more than three decades ago was found in Steven Spielberg’s art collection, the FBI announced Friday.

The painting, Rockwell’s “Russian Schoolroom,” was snatched during a late-night burglary at a gallery in Clayton, Mo., on June 25, 1973. The Oscar-winning filmmaker purchased the painting in 1989 from a legitimate dealer and didn’t know it was stolen until last week, the FBI said in a statement.

Mary Ellen Shortland worked at the since-closed Clayton Art Gallery when the painting was stolen 34 years ago. The gallery’s parent company, Circle Fine Art in Chicago, arranged for the Rockwell original to be on hand to draw visitors to a show of mainly lithographs, she said.

Shortland said a Missouri client bought the painting for $25,000, but agreed to let it remain on display. A few nights later, someone smashed the gallery’s glass door and stole the painting. The gallery refunded the client’s money.

Seems like a clear cut case of possession of stolen property to me. Need the phone number of a good attorney Steven?

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