A "Researcher" Learns Something From A Dealer in the UK

.
The Searcher December 2009:

When Essex researcher Stuart Silvey dropped into TimeLine Originals offices with some recent finds, we little expected to see, among the modern milled coins, a remarkable gold pendant he had found while detecting near Bursted, near Billericay.[...] we naturally congratulated Stuart on his sensational find and advised him about the legal procedure for reporting it to Essex FLO. Stuart is now waiting to hear back from the PAS.

(see also Coin News November 2009 ) So the first stop in London of this Essex "researcher" with such a find was not the Portable Antiquities Scheme, but the antiquity dealers' Timeline Originals. What a surprise eh? Why call him a "researcher" then, and not a treasure hunter? A plunderer looking only for saleable items? So do Timeline Originals often buy things from local "researchers" who do not know the law?

Timelines Original Selling Artefacts From Pre-War Polish Museum?

VO 012037 Rare Viking 'Iron' Snaffle Bit
Iron, 115 grams; 276.66 mm. Circa 9th-10th century AD. A rare and very well preserved iron snaffle bit; two large rings that would receive the reign (sic!) guides and cheek pieces are connected by three bars, two looped ended bars connected to the rings with a central S shaped bar between. A very plain and common type during this period but rarely found in this state as the iron does not survive. Ref: Similar to Luistari-A History of Weapons and Ornaments; G 825/7, plate 34. Very fine condition. Ex the family of an old man who was a keeper of a small town museum in Poland before WWII.

Before the War, as after the War, since the antiquities preservation law of 1928 all archaeological finds in Poland belong to the state. Under what circumstances have the sellers ascertained it left the country of origin? If this object was taken from that (we note unnamed) "small museum" and has no other paperwork, then it is most probably stolen. If so, why is it being sold openly in Upminster? How many more Polish artefacts are Timelines selling? I thought they belonged to a group of dealers with a strong Code of Ethics, so what is going on?