Still Missing

Over fifty-three years ago, in June 1971, more than 30 historical firearms and other artifacts, including two engraved powder horns from 1776 and 1758, were stolen from the Old Stone Fort Museum in Schoharie, New York. A Little History About Where the Theft Happened The Old Stone Fort Museum is located in Schoharie County in…

Over forty-five years ago, in the winter of 1979, two very similar pieces of American folk art – wooden eagles with spread wings carved by Wilhelm Schimmel in the late 19th century – were stolen from two museums in Pennsylvania. One of those Schimmel eagles was stolen on January 9, 1979 from the Reading Public…

This missing piece of history is a late 18th century Pennsylvania flintlock longarm with a barrel by J. Philpy, a lock by James Golcher, and a patchbox indicating that it was presented to President George Washington at Mount Vernon in 1790. Some History About the Theft The Washington Flintlock Rifle is another of the 32…

Fifty-five years ago, on October 24, 1968, a Revolutionary War-era musket, along with 31 other historic items, was stolen in an overnight burglary from the Valley Forge Historical Society in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.  To date, only the musket has been recovered. On July 1, 2024, just three days before Independence Day, I participated in the…

Pieces of history from museums and cultural institutions across the United States and, indeed, around the world are lost to the public as the result of thefts stretching from the recent past to decades ago.   Several partners of Argus Cultural Property Consultants have been involved in the gratifying recovery of these types of cultural…