Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures

Robert K. Wittman

Meeting: August 24 @ 6-7:30 PM

Location: 1308 Third Avenue, Spring Lake, NJ

Wine Selection: TBD

Summary: Robert K. Wittman, the founder of the FBI’s Art Crime Team, pulls back the curtain on his remarkable career for the first time, offering a real-life international thriller to rival The Thomas Crown Affair.  

In this page-turning memoir, Wittman fascinates with the stories behind his recoveries of priceless art and antiquities. The breadth of Wittman’s exploits is unmatched: He traveled the world to rescue paintings by Rockwell and Rembrandt, Pissarro, Monet and Picasso, often working undercover overseas at the whim of foreign governments. Closer to home, he recovered an original copy of the Bill of Rights and cracked the scam that rocked the PBS series Antiques Roadshow.

By the FBI’s accounting, Wittman saved hundreds of millions of dollars worth of art and antiquities. He says the statistic isn’t important. After all, who’s to say what is worth more --a Rembrandt self-portrait or an American flag carried into battle? They're both priceless. 

About Art Book Club: We meet monthly at Kelly-McKenna Gallery to discuss all topics art, art history, and design. 

You can purchase our monthly reading selections at Thunder Road Books; (973) 436-0914 or here.

Our monthly wine selection is available at Bottle Shop of Spring Lake; (732) 449-5525