Monuments Men and Women Foundation Stops Auction Sale of Paintings Looted by the Nazis from the Schloss Collection

Thanks to a handful of tips received through its Art Leads program, the Foundation was able to halt the sale of two 17th century small oil paintings on copper attributed to Dutch master Ambrosius Bosschaert listed in an auction as unclaimed property in Newark, Ohio. Research conducted by the Foundation, with the aid of the resources available on the JDCRP website, clearly indicated that these works were looted during World War II and are originally from the renowned Adolphe Schloss collection. Both paintings bear German inventory numbers— one “S 16" (Schloss 16) the other “S 17” (Schloss 17)—assigned in 1943 after the collection was seized. 

Photo: Bob Vitale/Columbus Dispatch

Not wanting to take any risk of the paintings disappearing again, Foundation founder and chairman Robert M. Edsel flew to Newark to meet with the owners of the auction house, Apple Tree Auction Center. He explained the paintings’ wartime provenance and urged the withdrawal of both lots to secure the paintings for restitution to the Schloss heirs.

Screenshot of the auction listing of both paintings as it appeared on the website of Apple Tree Auction Center.

“This case is another example of how people of goodwill can work together to right the wrongs of WWII, by returning looted works of art to their rightful owners,” commented Edsel. “Within 48 hours of receiving this lead, the Foundation documented the provenance of the works that supports the Schloss ownership, inspected the two paintings in person, attained the cooperation of the auction house to remove the pictures from their sale, and reached out to the attorney for the Schloss heirs. We look forward to completing this collaborative approach to resolving this matter and we hope they will return to the Schloss family soon.”

“I’m proud of our team for their swift and meticulous work. The Monuments Men and Women Foundation receives missing art leads every day, but our researchers are skilled at identifying those opportunities that require us to drop everything and act immediately,” said president Anna Bottinelli. “It’s no surprise that these two paintings surfaced at a small auction house in the Midwest, but it could have happened anywhere. Hundreds of thousands of cultural objects looted during WWII are still missing. Some are in the United States, tucked away in attics, hanging on walls, and stuffed in unopened boxes, passed down through generations.”

Photos: Monuments Men and Women Foundation.

Archival images: Archives du ministère des Affaires étrangères – La Courneuve, France, 209SUP/1015/169/177 and 209SUP/1015/169, 1945–1950.

The wartime fate of the renowned Adolphe Schloss collection is well-documented. This private collection of Old Master paintings was seized and divided during World War II through forced sales and legal maneuvers involving both French and German authorities. Those Schloss works ultimately destined for Hitler’s planned museum in Linz, including the two paintings in Ohio, were transferred to Munich and stored in the Führerbau, Hitler’s headquarters, before being subsequently looted in the chaotic final days of the Third Reich, as Allied forces entered the city. (Learn more about the wartime events of the Schloss Collection here.)

N° 5004 and n° 5005, Répertoire des biens spoliés en France durant la guerre 1939-1945, tome II. La Mission de recherche et de restitution des biens culturels spoliés entre 1933 et 1945 (M2RS), Secrétariat général du ministère de la Culture.

The Foundation’s mission is to provide a clear, trusted path for individuals and institutions to identify objects with unclear provenance or markings, and, when possible, work with the Foundation team to return them to their rightful owners. The Foundation does not charge for its services. Anybody can submit art leads to the Foundation via its online form or by phone at 1-866-WWII-ART or 1-866-994-4278.

As Monuments Woman Ardelia Hall, who led postwar restitution efforts in the United States with the State Department, wrote in 1950: “The continued vigilance of American institutions and individuals in identifying cultural objects improperly dispersed during World War II is needed.” Seventy-five years later, her words still ring true.

The Foundation wishes to express its gratitude to those who submitted leads that pointed us toward these two paintings. Their watchful eyes and vigilance allowed us to focus on this case and take swift action.

Read the full story as reported by The Columbus Dispatch.