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Fogg Art Museum Scrapbook, May 1973-March 1978

ARCH.2003.39, Rendition: 806528

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The image shows a newspaper clipping attached to a brown folder. The headline of the article reads, "Greek, Roman coins worth millions taken in holdup at Fogg Art Museum." The article details a robbery that took place at the Fogg Art Museum, where a collection of ancient Greek and Roman coins was stolen.

Key points from the article include:

  1. The Robbery: The heist occurred around 10:10 PM. Four men, including one dark-colored man, entered the museum and tied up the night watchman. They stole a package containing the coins.

  2. Police Response: University and state police responded quickly. The FBI was also involved due to the interstate nature of the crime.

  3. Description of the Robbers: The robbers were described as four men, one wearing a dark coat, another in a light coat, and two in the others. They were armed with a rifle and a handgun.

  4. Value and Significance of the Coins: The coins are highly valuable, both monetarily and for scholarly research. They range from 700 BC to 300 AD and include rare and unique specimens.

  5. Investigation: The police and museum officials are investigating the theft. The coins are difficult to sell due to their rarity and the attention the theft has garnered.

  6. Potential Impact: The theft is a significant loss for the museum and for scholarly research. The coins are insured, but their recovery is crucial for ongoing studies.

The article also mentions that the robbers seemed familiar with the museum's layout and the location of the coins, suggesting they had inside knowledge or had scouted the museum beforehand. The theft is described as a well-planned operation.

Mistral, mistral.ministral-3-3b-instruct

The image is a newspaper clipping from the Boston Globe dated 14/3/73. The headline reads "Greek, Roman coins worth millions taken in holdup at Fogg Art Museum."

Here is a detailed summary of the article:

  1. Context of the Crime:

    • Two men were involved in a robbery at the Fogg Art Museum. They took many duplicates of ancient Greek and Roman coins, totaling millions of dollars' worth.
  2. Investigation Details:

    • The robbery was investigated by FBI agents, Cambridge and Harvard University police, and the Cambridge Police Department.
    • The perpetrators were believed to be two men, one of whom was identified as "Mr. Ryan" by a watchman.
  3. Theft Timeline:

    • The robbery occurred at about 12:45 AM on a Friday, starting with the removal of display cases and the theft of coins.
    • The intruders used a ski cap to cover their faces and were armed.
  4. Evidence and Security Measures:

    • The watchman, who was on duty, noticed the suspicious activity and alerted the police.
    • Two cars were seen near the museum, and the watchman believed the men had fled in one of them.
  5. Coin Description:

    • The coins taken ranged from 700 BC to 400 AD.
    • The value of these coins is significant for academic research and teaching.
  6. Impact on Museum:

    • Museum officials were concerned about the loss of valuable educational resources and the disruption caused to their operations.
    • The museum's curator, George Handman, noted the coins were essential for teaching purposes.
  7. Aftermath and Arrests:

    • By Saturday afternoon, information gathered suggested there might be a connection to the robbery.
    • A package with a shopping bag from a Boston store was found, believed to be left behind.
    • The package was linked to the case with the name "Mr. Ryan" mentioned, hinting at the involvement of the identified thief.
  8. Historical Context and Additional Theft:

    • The article also mentions a previous coin robbery from the Du Pont coin robbery of 1962 involving Russian and United States coins and currency, which was a significant theft.

The article provides a comprehensive account of the robbery, the investigation efforts, and the aftermath, detailing the importance of the stolen coins to the museum's educational resources.

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The image is of a newspaper clipping from the Boston Globe, dated March 17, 1973, with the headline "Greek, Roman coins worth millions taken in holdup at Fogg Art Museum." The article reports that thieves stole a large collection of valuable Greek and Roman coins from the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University. The heist occurred during morning opening hours when two or three men, one of whom may have been identified as "Mr. Ryan," threatened the staff and made off with the coins, which were insured for over $2 million. The stolen coins ranged from 700 BC to 400 AD, and the robbery was described as meticulously planned, with the thieves apparently having inside knowledge of the museum's layout. Police investigations were underway, and the FBI was also involved in the case. The article also notes that this was the second major heist at the Fogg Art Museum in recent years.

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The image is a newspaper clipping from the Boston Globe dated February 14, 1973. The headline reads "Greek, Roman coins worth millions taken in holdup at Fogg Art Museum."

Here are the main details from the article:

  • Incident Overview:

    • A robbery occurred at the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University.
    • The stolen items include many Greek and Roman coins valued in the millions.
    • The robbers brought their own study-purpose containers and took the coins from display cases.
  • Robbery Details:

    • The robbery began around 12:45 AM on February 13.
    • Two men entered the museum through a basement door, subdued and tied up the night watchman, Mr. Ryan.
    • They worked calmly, taking about 19 minutes to complete the robbery.
    • They escaped in a waiting car driven by a third accomplice.
  • Investigation:

    • A special team of FBI agents, Cambridge, and Harvard University police are investigating the robbery.
    • Twelve investigators, including fingerprint and photography experts, are involved.
    • The robbers left behind some identification, including a small calculator and a ski cap.
  • Suspects:

    • The police are looking for two men: Peartson, who is described in detail, and another individual named "Mr. Ryan" who was initially thought to be part of the heist but later released.
    • The getaway car was a 1965 Buick with the license plate number 946-FAT.
  • Stolen Items:

    • The coins were part of a collection on loan from various sources.
    • The coins range from 700 BC to 400 AD and include Greek, Roman, and Byzantine pieces.
    • The collection was valued at around $5 million, though the museum’s insurance covers only about $250,000.
  • Museum’s Loss:

    • The museum's collection was temporarily displayed while the regular coin room was being renovated.
    • The robbery is considered the second at the Fogg Museum in three years, with the previous incident involving Russian and United States coins valued at $120,000.
  • Additional Notes:

    • The article mentions that the coins might be difficult to sell due to their notoriety and detailed documentation.
    • The incident has prompted discussions about the security measures at the museum.

Mistral, mistral.ministral-3-14b-instruct

The image is a newspaper clipping from the Boston Globe dated July 17, 1973. The headline reads "Greek, Roman coins worth millions taken in holdup at Fogg Art Museum." The article details a robbery that occurred at Harvard University's Fogg Art Museum, where two men robbed the museum of valuable ancient coins.

Key points from the article include:

  • The robbers took coins valued at millions of dollars, including Greek and Roman coins.
  • The robbery began at around 12:45 a.m. when two men entered the museum through a basement door, knocked out the night watchman, and bound and gagged him.
  • The robbers took the coins from display cases and left the museum after about 10 minutes.
  • The coins were described as ranging from 700 BC to 400 AD, with an estimated value of $2 million.
  • The robbery was carried out by two men, one of whom was described as about 5 feet 8 inches tall and of stocky build, while the other was described as about 6 feet tall.
  • The watchman, who was freed shortly after the robbery, called the police and provided a description of the robbers and their getaway car, a 1965 gold Buick.
  • Police believe the robbers escaped in the Buick, which was parked in the museum's small circular driveway.
  • The robbery was believed to be well-planned, with the robbers knowing the location of the coins and how to access them.
  • The article mentions the possibility of the coins being sold to foreign collectors or insurance companies.
  • The museum's curator of coins, George Hanfmann, expressed that the coins are a fundamental part of the teaching resources and research at the museum.
  • The article also mentions that the robbers had asked for a man named "Ryan," indicating a possible inside connection.
  • The FBI and Harvard University police are investigating the robbery.

The clipping also includes a note indicating that the story continues on Page 1 and a mention of Jeremiah Murphy's column appearing on the same day.

Mistral, mistral.ministral-3-8b-instruct

The image shows a newspaper clipping from the Boston Globe dated 1973. The headline of the article reads: "Greek, Roman coins worth millions taken in holdup at Fogg Art Museum."

The article describes a robbery that took place at the Fogg Art Museum. Two intruders entered the museum, disguised as guards, and stole numerous valuable coins, including Greek and Roman coins. The coins were in display cases and removed by the intruders, who were described as wearing ski caps and armed with guns.

Key details include:

  • The robbery occurred around 12:45 a.m. on the night of April 4, 1973.
  • The intruders were described as two men, one wearing a black ski cap and the other a white one.
  • The coins taken ranged from 700 BC to 400 AD, with some being highly valuable.
  • The coins were later discovered to be in a package left at a Boston store.
  • The museum's watchman was lured away by the intruders, and the robbery was not discovered until later.
  • The coins were valued at a significant amount, with some being rare and irreplaceable.
  • The museum's director, Miss Doeringer, noted that the coins were used for educational purposes and study.
  • The article mentions that the perpetrators were likely familiar with the museum's layout and coin locations.
  • The coins were later identified by the museum's curators, including George Doeringer and others.
  • Police were investigating the robbery, and the article also includes a brief mention of an earlier coin robbery at the Du Pont Coin Gallery.

The clipping also notes that the robbery involved significant planning and knowledge of the museum's security and layout.

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This image shows a newspaper clipping mounted on a brown paper sheet. The clipping is an article titled "Greek, Roman coins worth millions taken in holdup at Fogg Art Museum." The article details a theft at the Fogg Art Museum involving the taking of valuable coins. It includes information about the suspects, the investigation, the value of the stolen coins, and comments from authorities and museum officials. Handwritten at the top in red ink is "BOSTON GLOBE 12/3/73." There is also a small note at the bottom of the clipping mentioning "Jeremiah Murphy's column appears today." The edges of the newspaper clipping show some wear, and the brown mounting paper has a hole punched on the right side.

Azure OpenAI Service, gpt-4

The image shows a newspaper clipping mounted on an orange-brownish paper with two black circular markings, possibly for archival purposes. The newspaper is identified at the top as the "Boston Globe" and dated "12/13/72." The headline states "Greek, Roman coins worth millions taken in holdup at Fogg Art Museum," indicating that the article is about a significant theft.

The article continues from page 1 and details the events surrounding the theft of valuable Greek and Roman coins from the Fogg Art Museum. Specific details about the theft, the investigation, and statements from involved parties, such as law enforcement and museum staff, are included throughout the column.

The newspaper clipping also mentions a feature by Jeremiah Murphy's column, which appears on "Page 29 today," suggesting additional content of interest on another page.

Without the full context of the article, it's unclear exactly what information is provided, but the format suggests typical newspaper reporting of the time, including columns of text in a standard font and style consistent with newspaper print of the early 1970s.

Amazon, us.amazon.nova-2-lite-v1:0

The image is a scanned newspaper clipping from the Boston Globe dated December 12, 1973. The headline reads: "Greek, Roman coins worth millions taken in holdup at Fogg Art Museum." The article details a significant robbery at the Fogg Art Museum, where a large collection of ancient Greek and Roman coins, valued in the millions, was stolen.

Key Details from the Article:

  1. The Robbery:

    • Two men entered the Fogg Art Museum on Saturday afternoon and stole coins from display cases.
    • The suspects were described as one man in a dark-colored coat and another in a light-colored coat.
    • The robbery occurred around 12:45 PM, and the suspects fled in two cars, a 1985 gold Buick and a dark-colored circular driveway off Broadway Street.
  2. The Stolen Coins:

    • The stolen coins included duplicates of many coins from around the world, but some were originals brought together for study purposes.
    • The coins ranged in value from $700 to $400,000, with some being part of the teaching collection of the Fogg Art Museum.
    • The coins were described as having "great amount of money" and could bring "a great amount of money" if sold separately.
  3. Investigation:

    • The FBI, Cambridge police, and Harvard University police were investigating the robbery.
    • The suspects were identified as Charles Pearson and another man, who was later identified as "Ryan."
    • Ryan was described as having a small caliber chrome-plated 9mm pistol, which he used to threaten museum staff.
  4. Museum Response:

    • The museum's assistant director, George Hanf, stated that the stolen coins were part of the museum's teaching collection and had minimal monetary value to the institution.
    • The museum curator, Susan Doeringer, confirmed that the stolen coins were part of the museum's collection.
  5. Security Measures:

    • The museum had security cameras, but they were not sufficient to capture the robbery.
    • The museum had a watchman on duty, but he was not present during the robbery.
  6. Impact:

    • The loss of the coins was considered a tragic loss for scholarship and research, as they were valuable for academic study and teaching.
    • The coins were described as being in high demand among collectors, with some being sold for millions.
  7. Additional Context:

    • The article mentions that the robbery was the second major theft at the Fogg Art Museum in recent years, referencing a previous robbery in April.
    • The suspects were later arrested and charged with the theft.

The article provides a detailed account of the robbery, the investigation, and the impact on the museum and the academic community. It also highlights the value and significance of the stolen coins in the world of art and numismatics.

Amazon, amazon.nova-lite-v1:0

The image shows a clipping from the Boston Globe, dated July 13, 1973, featuring a headline about a theft at the Fogg Art Museum. The article discusses the theft of Greek and Roman coins worth millions, which were taken during a holdup at the museum. The museum's curator, Susan Doerflinger, and George Mann, curator of the coin collection, are mentioned as having been taken hostage during the robbery. The coins, which range from 700 to 400 AD, are described as irreplaceable for scholarly research and teaching. The article also mentions that the coins could be melted down for sale in small lots, sold to foreign collectors, or kept in private collections. The FBI is investigating the incident, and the coins are considered a significant loss for the museum.