This was passed on to me by a colleague. --ECW
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The following was sent out on Monday 17th October
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE ABA
Recent statements, reported in coverage in The Times of map thefts from
libraries, have been contemptuously dismissed by the Antiquarian Booksellers'
Association.
New York dealer W.Graham Arader III's suggestion that a large proportion of
antique maps currently in the marketplace are stolen has been dismissed by
the President of Britain's Antiquarian Booksellers' Association--the leading
trade association for dealers in old maps, atlases, antiquarian books and
related material. Members of the ABA are elected on their reliability and
reputations and are expected to adhere to strict rules of due diligence when
purchasing material; in fact they are frequently influential in helping the
authorities trace stolen material. The same principles apply to the ABA's
companion Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America.
Neither Mr Arader, nor E. Forbes Smiley III, the defendant in question, are
members of their national Association.
Antiquarian Booksellers Association
Sackville House, 40 Piccadilly, London, W1J 0DR, United Kingdom.
Tel +44 (0) 20 7439 3118 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7439 3119.
www.aba.org.uk www.ILAB.org