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“Indiana Jones of the Art World” Recovers Priceless Historical Documents
Dutch art detective Arthur Brand has recovered a treasure trove of stolen historical documents, a discovery he considers one of the most significant of his career. The recovered items include documents spanning the 15th to 19th centuries, including UNESCO-listed archives from the Dutch East India Company (VOC).
The VOC, the world’s first multinational corporation, played a pivotal role in the Dutch Golden Age. The documents offer a unique window into this period, detailing the company’s trading operations, military actions, and diplomatic engagements across Europe, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Latin America. One recovered document even details the 1602 meeting where the VOC’s iconic logo, considered the world’s first corporate logo, was designed.
The recovered archives also include personal logs from the renowned Dutch Admiral Michiel de Ruyter, detailing his early naval experiences, including the 1641 Battle of St Vincent.
The recovery itself reads like a captivating mystery. Brand was contacted by an individual who discovered the documents while clearing the attic of a family member.
This family member had accepted the documents as collateral for a loan, which was never repaid. Recognizing the potential historical significance, Brand contacted Dutch authorities and confirmed that the documents had been stolen from the National Archives in The Hague in 2015.
The prime suspect, a former archives employee, is now deceased.
This latest recovery adds another impressive feat to Brand’s already remarkable career. Known as the “Indiana Jones of the Art World,” Brand has been instrumental in the recovery of numerous stolen masterpieces, including paintings by Picasso and Van Gogh, a Roman statue, and even sculptures that once belonged to Adolf Hitler.