Due Diligence

Coxsoft Art has received a reply from New Scotland Yard on the subject of due diligence (CLICK). It's a term used in the art trade to describe "the process and action required to check the legality of a work of art before purchasing or selling it. If 'due diligence' is not performed then a purchaser is unlikely to (be) protected by the law from title claims." The reason for warning the visitor against using the Art & Antiquities database for this purpose is that it is too limited to be accepted as "due diligence." You need to contact the Met. Art & Antiques Unit.