.
[UPDATE 10.4.2012: note some fair-use photos have been removed from this post and replaced with other - nicer - ones at the request of the dealer in question] I guess if you were Brandon Leon, Jerusalem-based exporter of antiquities in bulk, you might have reason to be apprehensive about the potential effects of Israel's modified antiquity laws (April 20th) on part of your business empire:
Mr Leon is oh-so-careful to let everybody know he is a God-fearing Christian (scroll down), but in his latest communication to the 'Ancient Coin Market' discussion list he seems accidentally to have let some rather un-Christian sentiments surface. This lapse in concentration might perhaps be put down to a preoccupation with the nearness of the institution of the new laws and worries that they might make it more difficult to shift this particular stock:
Photos 1-3: Shocking pictures of sad piles of dugup pots in boxes used as rubbish bins and (photo 4) loose junk coins in a tank ready for export from ZZAntiquities website. So, where precisely were they dug up? How come they'd get an export licence from the IAA?
UPDATE 10.4.2012: "Mr F-You" from Jerusalem is not happy about me showing photos of his pots and coins (please click on the links to see them anyway and ask yourself where they came from). So this is what Z.Z. Antiquities, Ltd. wrote as a comment on my post "'ZZ' Brandon Leon Lets his Feelings get the Better...":
Mr Leon, you seem a bit tetchy. You do not understand, you see I too have an extremely weird computer problem, I keep losing control of the mouse cursor jumping and moving and some words and pictures magically appeared on my blog from nowhere at all! Just out of nowhere. I've removed the cat hairs from the laser window on the underside of the mouse which seems to have fixed it and put some nicer pots in my post now, and a picture of what your mouse cursor probably had in mind. [UPDATE 10.4.2012: note some fair-use photos have been removed from this post and replaced with other - nicer - ones at the request of the dealer in question] I guess if you were Brandon Leon, Jerusalem-based exporter of antiquities in bulk, you might have reason to be apprehensive about the potential effects of Israel's modified antiquity laws (April 20th) on part of your business empire:
Z.Z. IMPORT / EXPORT, Ltd.
Old pots unlike those Mr Leon sells.
The origins of these is fully documented.
Z.Z. PRECIOUS METALS, Ltd.
Z.Z. ANTIQUITIES, Ltd.
Z.Z. ANCIENT ART, Ltd.
Z.Z. ANCIENT COINS, Ltd.
Z.Z. UNCLEANED COINS, Ltd.
Z.Z. ROMAN COINS, Ltd.
Z.Z. BYZANTINE COINS, Ltd.
Z.Z. SUGARS, Ltd.
Z.Z. COMMODITIES, Ltd.
Z.Z. DIAMONDS, Ltd.
Z.Z. Financial Security and Investment, Ltd.
Jerusalem, Los Angeles, Amsterdam
Mr Leon is oh-so-careful to let everybody know he is a God-fearing Christian (scroll down), but in his latest communication to the 'Ancient Coin Market' discussion list he seems accidentally to have let some rather un-Christian sentiments surface. This lapse in concentration might perhaps be put down to a preoccupation with the nearness of the institution of the new laws and worries that they might make it more difficult to shift this particular stock:
Well shalom to you too, Mr Leon.All of our antiquities and items of ancient art are guaranteed genuine ancient for your lifetime. [...] All of our antiquities and items of ancient art come with Export Approval legal documentation from the Israel Antiquities Authority. In order to be fair to all of our clients, we honor a first-come, first-served policy.
Better than old pots
Kindest regards,
FUCK
GOD bless you,
B. Leon
Photos 1-3: Shocking pictures of sad piles of dugup pots in boxes used as rubbish bins and (photo 4) loose junk coins in a tank ready for export from ZZAntiquities website. So, where precisely were they dug up? How come they'd get an export licence from the IAA?
UPDATE 10.4.2012: "Mr F-You" from Jerusalem is not happy about me showing photos of his pots and coins (please click on the links to see them anyway and ask yourself where they came from). So this is what Z.Z. Antiquities, Ltd. wrote as a comment on my post "'ZZ' Brandon Leon Lets his Feelings get the Better...":
ATTN: BARFORD - you are violating international copyright laws!!Hi, earlier I posted an advert of some pottery and coins we have available for export. I hope Barford reads this because he is violating copyright law by reposting our pictures!!As to be expected Barford quickly jumped on the post and took the pictures and concocted his own SLANDEROUS version of the reason why a curse word appeared in the post. Here is Bradford's version/speculation: http://paul-barford.blogspot.com/2012/04/zz-brandon-leon-lets-his-feelings-get.h\tmlThe truth is, as soon as the mistake was brought to my attention from a client, I immediately knew it was because of the extremely weird computer problems I was having with my losing control of the mouse cursor jumping and moving, and a curse word was inserted as I prepared the post!BARFORD, YOU ARE VIOLATING COPYRIGHT LAW - THESE PICTURES ARE NOT YOURS, AND I DEMAND YOU IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THEM FROM YOUR WEB SITE ELSE MY ATTORNEYS WILL BE CONTACTING YOU WITH IMMEDIATE CEASE AND DESIST ORDER WITH EXPLANATION ABOUTVIOLATION OF COPYRIGHT LAWS - YOU DID NOT TAKE THE PHOTOS, THEY ARE NOT YOURS, AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO POST THEM.IF YOU DO NOT REMOVE THEM, MY ATTORNEYS WILL ALSO BE CONTACTING GOOGLE AND WE WILL SHUT DOWN YOUR BLOG.Kindest regards,GOD bless you,B. Leon
My cat is a clever beastie and says that criticising what Jerusalem dugup dealers sell is "fair use" and might even be parody. He reminds me that Google does not actually like antiquity dealers and grabby collectors, as several have already tried to close this blog down.
But now my cat, mouse and I have your attention, where were those complete pots (was a bit of grave robbing involved there?) and the bath-full of junk coins dug up from? Were they dug up in Israel, in which case why is the IAA giving you export licences for them, or were they dug up outside Israel and simply being exported through Jerusalem? I know I have asked this question many times before, but you do seem to have problems articulating a satisfactory answer.
Why do you throw blue string and black plastic bin liners in the boxes with the ancient artefacts? Is it some kind of charm?
UPDATE to UPDATE: This has just gone out to collectors:
Hi, Earlier this evening we sent an e-mail, and in signature was a rude word. All evening, even now, as I type, computer has been acting very strange, with cursor moving to strange places even as I type now! I suspect that someone has broken into my computer and is playing games, and wrote that word earlier as I was preparing the e-mail. I apologize - it was not intentional.....aaaaaaaaarrrrggghh!! This is crazy!!! I can't even finish this e-mail without 30 times having to move back cursor! Whoever is doing this, GOD will pay you back!No, he won't, God is on the side of the White Hat Guys. Confucius he say, "clean mouse tracking device, problem go away". Sadly the problems of no-questions-asked trading in antiquities are not resolved so easily as stray four-letter words.
ATTN: BARFORD - you are violating international copyright laws!!
ReplyDeleteHi,
Earlier I posted an advert of some pottery and coins we have available for
export. I hope Barford reads this because he is violating copyright law by
reposting our pictures!!
As to be expected Barford quickly jumped on the post and took the pictures and
concocted his own SLANDEROUS version of the reason why a curse word appeared in
the post. Here is Bradford's version/speculation:
http://paul-barford.blogspot.com/2012/04/zz-brandon-leon-lets-his-feelings-get.h\
tml
The truth is, as soon as the mistake was brought to my attention from a client,
I immediately knew it was because of the extremely weird computer problems I was
having with my losing control of the mouse cursor jumping and moving, and a
curse word was inserted as I prepared the post!
BARFORD, YOU ARE VIOLATING COPYRIGHT LAW - THESE PICTURES ARE NOT YOURS, AND I
DEMAND YOU IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THEM FROM YOUR WEB SITE ELSE MY ATTORNEYS WILL BE
CONTACTING YOU WITH IMMEDIATE CEASE AND DESIST ORDER WITH EXPLANATION ABOUT
VIOLATION OF COPYRIGHT LAWS - YOU DID NOT TAKE THE PHOTOS, THEY ARE NOT YOURS,
AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO POST THEM.
IF YOU DO NOT REMOVE THEM, MY ATTORNEYS WILL ALSO BE CONTACTING GOOGLE AND WE
WILL SHUT DOWN YOUR BLOG.
Kindest regards,
GOD bless you,
B. Leon
Z.Z. IMPORT / EXPORT, Ltd.
Z.Z. PRECIOUS METALS, Ltd.
Z.Z. ANTIQUITIES, Ltd.
Z.Z. ANCIENT ART, Ltd.
Z.Z. ANCIENT COINS, Ltd.
Z.Z. UNCLEANED COINS, Ltd.
Z.Z. ROMAN COINS, Ltd.
Z.Z. BYZANTINE COINS, Ltd.
Z.Z. SUGARS, Ltd.
Z.Z. COMMODITIES, Ltd.
Z.Z. DIAMONDS, Ltd.
Z.Z. Financial Security and Investment, Ltd.
Jerusalem, Los Angeles, Amsterdam
I take it you will not also be posting his explanation of why the swear word appeared in his email? To seriously expect people to believe that somebody would advertise to sell something and intentionally use language like that... that is below even you and that is saying something!
ReplyDeleteI take it you will not also be posting his explanation of why the swear word appeared in his email? To seriously expect people to believe that somebody would advertise to sell something and intentionally use language like that... that is below even you and that is saying something!
ReplyDeleteI take it you will not also be posting his explanation of why the swear word appeared in his email? To seriously expect people to believe that somebody would advertise to sell something and intentionally use language like that... that is below even you and that is saying something!
ReplyDeleteComputer mouse problems eh? I see.
ReplyDeleteSo, where do those pots come from? Who dug up the "Ancient Coins Hoard" and in which country?
Why don't you want people to see your pots and coins in as many places as possible? What have you got to hide? You know, I get an awful lot of collectors and dealers looking at this blog, you should be thanking me for free advertising, I see your own forum has rather low visitor numbers - a link here will get more people visiting your site to learn more.
Well, Mr Numismatist, I just did. I think the "magical jumping and literate mouse cursor" story is a good indication of just how far we can trust the explanations of "how things happen" of a dealer in ancient coins and dug up artefacts.
ReplyDeleteIt must rank somewhere at about the same level as the "coin fairies" and "coin elves" as an explanation of the realities behind the no-questions-asked antiquities trade....
Dear Mr. Barford,
ReplyDeletethank you very much for your post. There is no much sense in commenting on the issue how the F*** word made it into the email of Mr. B. Leon (and, honestly, even without caring. It was funny, yes, but not so important. The proposal by Mr. Leon that somebody has hacked his computer is truly absurd. If somebody did, he/she would have sent out more useful emails, for example on hin transactions). But it was good that EVERYBODY, whoever wants to know, sees the pictures Mr. Leon posted on the list and may judge for themselves. There may be people around who will claim this was proper buisness doing, putting bunches of ceramics in plastic cases and so on. Well, such people I would not understand. Maybe these are people who do not care about the stuff itself at all, but care about the idea of making a few dollars selling it. If one pot brakes, who cares? Sell the sheards. True, Mr. Leon?
But maybe there are other people who actually care! And I guess even a lot of the dealers, of whome I am one, do! Presenting ancient ceramics for sale in a way Mr. B. L. did is cynic, I can not think of a better word. That he shall have obtained an authorization for export is unbelievable. How is this possible? If I get an authorization to export 5 plastic boxes fill of everything, I can get this authorization for virtually everything, can't I? So where is the point of the authorization in the first place?
@ Mr. B. Leon: Why are you so upset about Mr. Barford showing your pictures? He is doing advertising for you, isn't he? And you do not have to pay. Isn't this great? I would love somebody doing this for me. Or are you afraid of something? For example, of what people who are not on some closed lists, will think? Well, in this case you should stop accusing Mr. Barford, wishing the wrath of your GOD that has a prominent place in every of your emails (I, in his place, would be rather tired and try to fry your computer with a well-aimed lightning, but, alas, the times of Jupiter seem to be over) and rather mind Matthew 7.3! What do you think? Copyright issues vs. gravedigging, what might be the mote, what the beam?
general comment: I have been, sometimes with the greatest shock, following the offers of Mr. leon for a few years now. Is there any possibility to get an international police organization, like for example Interpol, to check on his activities. They just do seem utterly wrong. If they are not, well, better for him, then he can go on doing whatever he is doing now and claim to be even righter that he does at the moment.
I would think about Matthew 13:44 in his case.
ReplyDeleteThe story of the export licence is what I was referring to. I am informed that the Israel Antiquities Authority has been unable to do anything to stop this due to Israeli laws referring only to objects dug up IN Israel (this is a common problem). If they were dug up elsewhere, Israeli law cannot- until the law is changed - do anything about it.
Hello all, I was looking up Brandon's info again so I could refer someone to him, and I stumbled across this post. All I have to say is that when I was a beginning collector 10 years ago, Brandon was the most honest, reputable seller I found. And the ONLY one to offer free advice to me, with no strings attached. I bought 1,000 Greek and Roman uncleaned coins from him, and approximately 90% of them were attributable. Unlike many other bulk uncleaned coin dealers I've dealt with, Brandon was honest and transparent, and was a pleasure to work with. I looked at the box of pottery mentioned above, and truly don't understand all the fuss. It's not as if he is going to ship them off somewhere stacked as such; and if placed carefully on a shelf in a back room or office, what harm is it to the pottery? They look carefully handled an in good shape to me. As for the F word showing up in an email, that seems like mere trivia. We all screw up in email at times (no pun intended).
ReplyDeleteIt seems like a mountain is being made out of a mole hill, or else someone has another agenda going.
K. Duncan
Hmm, how sweet, a satisfied customer surfaces... (almost exactly a calendar year later).
ReplyDeleteMr Duncan "truly does not understand what the fuss is about", so I explain it to those who do likewise do not get it, here:
http://paul-barford.blogspot.com/2013/04/antiquities-exporters-unsolicited.html