Most smaller museums do not report thefts because many of the better "family heirlooms" they receive are not actually given to the museum [no ownership transfer], but rather are on a perpetual loan basis. If all thefts were reported those families who still remember Grandad put the family heirloom in the local museum on a perpetual loan basis would get worried about security and request their item back. And today's potential donors may think twice about placing historic objects in the local museum. So most museums are reluctant to report thefts...particularly if they are an inside job as most are. Obviously, over the years some families lose track of what earlier members permanently loaned to a museum, taking the museum "off the hook." Major historical societies often will no longer provide information on who loaned what to the museum...just to stop "fishing" expeditions into museum records....both for what has been lost but never recognized, and also to stop collectors from finding long lost family members of valuable items and getting them to remove such items from the museum for sale back to the researcher. One of the finest known F&I carved powder horns was removed from a museum 20+ years ago by an astute researcher and collector who, in going through old museum records, determined the valuable horn was actually on perpetual loan and never deeded to the museum, then was able to find a long-lost descendant and get the horn reclaimed...which he promptly purchased.
We may have different opinions on stolen items that have passed through several hands. To me, a stolen item doesn't somehow become a "legal" item if it passes through several hands. It is still stolen. The real protection, which very few collectors will take the time to do, is to ask the seller for a signed receipt stating he will refund the sale price if the gun turns out to be stolen. Of course, we don't want to do this because a lot of dealers won't do it, and the potential buyer will have to pass on the gun he wants. We usually want it so badly, we go ahead and buy it...and ignore possible risk. No one wants to lose something they thought they purchased legitimately, but the buck has to stop somewhere...just never in my pocket. Shelby Gallien
