[MSN] A Turner painting stolen by the French Government during the Second World War is set to be returned to the heirs of its owner thanks to the efforts of a Richmond historian and researcher.

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WWII Turner art theft solved by borough man
By Hannah Farquharson
A Turner painting stolen by the French Government during the Second World
War is set to be returned to the heirs of its owner thanks to the efforts of
a Richmond historian and researcher.

Ian Locke, who has uncovered the secret histories of dozens of paintings,
began to look into the collection of John Jaffe, a prominent Jewish art
collector who resided in Nice, in 1999.

His collection included the painting by former Twickenham resident JMW
Turner Glaucus and Scylla.

continued...
The painting was seized by the French wartime Vichy regime and Allied
investigators ended their hunt for it in the 1950s.

But Mr Locke successfully tracked down the painting and John Jaffe's heirs,
represented by Alain Monteagle.

Mr Locke, who lives in Sheen Road, said: "My work involved checking the
picture. I contacted the director of the museum with regard to what I had
discovered.

"I was always going to stand outside it once the picture and heirs had been
reunited. I would not get involved in what was family business. My work was
to make sure there was enough information so that the piece got to the right
people."

By early 2000 Mr Locke had located the painting and then, with the help of a
French neighbour, traced the heirs.

Meanwhile, he made contact with the Kimbell Art Museum in Texas, where the
Turner is currently housed, and with the help of director Timothy Potts
informed the museum of its history.

On June 6 this year an agreement was reached between the heirs and the
museum for the return of the picture.

It has been in the Kimbell's collection since 1966, but there are no records
of it from its disappearance in 1943 until 1956, when it was sold to the art
dealer Agnewis of London.

Locke's research into the Jaffe collection covered around 60 pictures and
all the information has been passed onto the heirs.

10:36am Friday 7th July 2006

http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/