Goldberg's Angel: An Adventure in the Antiquities Trade

From Publishers Weekly
Peg Goldberg, a fledgling Indiana antiques dealer, paid $1.2 million in borrowed cash for what she believed to be four authentic early Christian mosaics, without thoroughly checking their provenance or the reputations of the sellers. In 1989, she was accused of knowingly buying stolen property by the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus which, claiming the mosaics were taken illegally from the island, successfully sued for their return. Unsolved mysteries about the deal intrigued Hofstadter, a freelance writer who calls himself "a person without a fixed address or steady job...who happened to love beautiful things." He attempts to disentangle the story's threads of Greek, Turkish and Cyprian politics, legal battles, treacherous dealers and middlemen, as well as a leading lady who may not have been as innocent as she seemed. But the byzantine dealings, large cast of shady characters and author's frequent asides on his own involvement result in a jumble of colorful elements that is often difficult to follow. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Hofstadter, a writer of unfailing specificity, vividness, and wit, is, nevertheless, infatuated with ambiguity. His first book, Temperaments: Artists Facing their Work (1992), explored the enigmatic artistic process. Here he immerses himself in an even murkier realm, the labyrinthine and mendacious world of antiquities dealing. A bit of a nomad, Hofstadter found himself seduced by the dazzle and predation of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, an experience that led him to Peg Goldberg, a novice Indianapolis art dealer and "deep-dyed Midwestern nonconformist" who ended up in court after purchasing four early Christian devotional mosaics under questionable circumstances. The Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus claimed ownership, insisting that the mosaics were war booty taken by the Turks in 1974. Hofstadter covers the often confusing trial that made international headlines with its exposure of antiquities smuggling and its interpretation of national cultural patrimony. As Goldberg started the appeal process and the mosaics were returned to Cyprus, Hofstadter resumed his travels and met with an assortment of slippery characters connected to this deal gone bad. As he describes this series of baffling encounters, he muses on the curious energy generated by the telling of lies and the keeping of secrets, an energy both sinister and intrinsically human. Donna Seaman

From Kirkus Reviews
Hofstadter's (Temperaments, 1992) account of being on the trail of fraud in the international antiquities trade is as full of intrigue, shady characters, and exotic hotel lobbies as the latest spy thriller. But this is a true story. It begins with Peg Goldberg, a former Indiana social worker turned amateur art dealer, who goes to Amsterdam in 1988 with the intention of buying a Modigliani for $3 million. Instead, she returns from Geneva having paid $1.2 million for four Byzantine mosaics. When she tries to sell her rare booty, though, the Republic of Cyprus sues her for the return of stolen national treasures--and wins. Determined to get back her treasure and prove that the Cypriot government was really a willing smuggling accomplice posing as a patriotic innocent, Goldberg, ``a Swiss Army knife of a girl,'' sets out on a high-speed, international cat-and-mouse quest, which Hofstadter follows with mounting enthusiasm. From the wealthy suburbs of Indianapolis to the corridors of power in Cyprus, they track leads and vanishing sources. The colorful cast of characters includes a Dutch con man with a penchant for high-priced hotels and accordion music; an American who began his smuggling career shipping parrots and ocelots; a Montenegran named Savo, who says he predicts avalanches for a living but is rumored to be Mafia; and a Turk whose name, history, and appearance change so often, he may only be an alias for multiple traffickers. Is it simply a high-stakes hoax or is it an international conspiracy? The final answer reamins unknown. Hofstadter is a reporter and adventurer who manages to speak to almost all the players under the protective mantle of ``writer.'' With sensual prose and keen psychological portraits, he presents an incredible look at a labyrinthine world. Hofstadter's description of a colorful, dizzying trip through Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is a perfect metaphor for his own quest: ``unmappable, seductive, perilous.'' -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


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Hofstadter, a writer of unfailing specificity, vividness, and wit, is, nevertheless, infatuated with ambiguity. His first book, "Temperaments: Artists Facing their Work" (1992), explored the enigmatic artistic process. Here he immerses himself in an even murkier realm, the labyrinthine and mendacious world of antiquities dealing. A bit of a nomad, Hofstadter found himself seduced by the dazzle and predation of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, an experience that led him to Peg Goldberg, a novice Indianapolis art dealer and "deep-dyed Midwestern nonconformist" who ended up in court after purchasing four early Christian devotional mosaics under questionable circumstances. The Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus claimed ownership, insisting that the mosaics were war booty taken by the Turks in 1974. Hofstadter covers the often confusing trial that made international headlines with its exposure of antiquities smuggling and its interpretation of national cultural patrimony. As Goldberg started the appeal process and the mosaics were returned to Cyprus, Hofstadter resumed his travels and met with an assortment of slippery characters connected to this deal gone bad. As he describes this series of baffling encounters, he muses on the curious energy generated by the telling of lies and the keeping of secrets, an energy both sinister and intrinsically human.


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