The Art of the Inheritance Dispute - Putting it on the block edition

New development in an inheritance dispute we commented on here. The of the dispute is the Papua New Guinea art that de Young Trustee John Friede, promised his prized collection to the de Young Memorial Museum but at the same time put it up as collateral in a legal settlement over his mother's estate with his two brothers.

Now the SF Chronicle reports that the Museum is preparing to sell 76 pieces of the 400 piece collection it has on display.

John Friede's two brothers contend they have the right to seize the collection and sell up to $20 million worth of its art after a Florida judge ruled that Friede had violated the terms of a legal settlement involving their mother's estate.

He so far has paid his brothers more than $22 million of the $30 million, but legal fees and interest make the shortfall around $10 million, court documents show. A good piece on the back history of the dispute is Kate Taylor's article in the NY Times.

In order to preserve the art collection for the city, museum officials and Friede agreed in March to auction off 76 items like masks, headrests, and mortars.

Also in addition to the family the feud, the Museum itself is fighting Thomas Jaffe, John's half brother, accusing him of "malice and a desire to destroy the relationship between the Friedes and the museum" City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed a court challenges accusing Thomas of trying to block a $3.7 million dollar payment which was promised by the Friede family for promotion and study of the art collection.

City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed a court challenge that accuses John Friede's half brother of "malice and a desire to destroy the relationship between the Friedes and the museum" by opposing a $3.7 million payment to the de Young from Hall's estate. Herrera contends the half brother, Thomas Jaffe, has intentionally harmed the museum and public by trying to block the payment, which was promised by the Friede family for the upkeep, promotion and study of the collection.

The Ambassador from Papua New Guinea, Evan J. Paki who writes regarding the importance of the collection and imploring the parties not to sell it off. You can read the letter at african-arts.info