Artifacts dealer: Don't get snared by 'tricks' of the trade

[Shannon Graham]

Artifacts dealer: Don't get snared by 'tricks' of the trade: Arizona man says feds' Four Corners informant tried to lure him into

"When buying American Indian artifacts, question the sellers about where and when they obtained the items, get as much as possible in writing and watch out for trickery.

That's the advice of an Arizona dealer who narrowly avoided arrest after he was approached by the government's chief informant in last year's Four Corners antiquities investigation.

"Fortunately, I was able to pick up on the subtle things he was saying, and I was able to turn down the items he was offering, but nevertheless it was very tricky," he said. "If you weren't listening very, very closely, you would have missed it."

Dace Hyatt of Show Low, Ariz., spoke on a panel hosted by the Antique Tribal Art Dealers Association on Monday, the opening day of the Whitehawk Antique Indian Art Show, where several dealers posted signs assuring buyers that everything for sale was legally obtained.

"I had my checkbook in my hand," he said. "I said, 'Ted, what can you tell me about these items?' He said, 'Well, I've been getting these items from the boys' -- he called them -- 'They've been finding the stuff on the Arizona Strip.' "

Hyatt said he knew the strip, a section of northwestern Arizona separated from the rest of the state by the Grand Canyon, included Bureau of Land Management property, so he asked Gardiner about that and he quietly answered yes.

"I just dropped my checkbook and pen in my lap," Hyatt said, "and said, 'Ted, I can't buy these.' ... He said, 'I appreciate that. I don't expect you to do something you're not comfortable with.' I said, 'I'm not. You need to take these items back, find out exactly where on the Arizona Strip they were found, and if it's in fact BLM, then you need to return them.' "

Hyatt said he believes that by using subtle tricks, the federal government is trying to entrap innocent collectors, not prosecute real criminals. "We're not a deviant subspecies that dwells in the murky underworld," he said.


Full story here.

[Mud Hawk]

Wow. There are so many caveats in purchasing Native relics. Seems autheticity issues are nothing in comparison to entrapment. I don't see the logic in it though. Relate that same scenario to drugs. That would be like a crackdown on "personal use" drug abusers instead of going after major drug suppliers. Or did I read that article wrong and the man purchasing was a resaler? That would make the "middleman" the target I guess.

[Jay R]

I had a federal customs agent in my office the other day and he confirmed that they do offer "Off limit artifacts" to people in an attempt to get an arrest. Very tricky stuff for those who aren't in the know of what can and can't be obtained legally! Mind your P's and Q's and be wary of such things! Don't let the lure of a rare artifact cloud your judgement or your next purchase may be your last! J