Seventeen rare books, valued at over $2 million and stolen nearly 40 years ago from the Long Island estate of former Museum of Modern Art president John Hay Whitney, have been recovered and will be returned to his descendants. The trove includes a $2 million portfolio of handwritten letters from poet John Keats and first editions of works by James Joyce and Aleister Crowley.
The recovery highlights the enduring role of art crime units and registries in tracking stolen cultural property across decades. It also underscores the significant collecting habits of major art-world figures, as the Whitney family's legacy—from modern paintings to rare books—continues to influence the market, with the heirs planning to auction the recovered items and donate the proceeds.