RMW-001: Stolen California Plein Air Collection

BY Antiques Roadshow   |   Posted 02.22.2010

Jim McCarty discovered his entire California Plein Air collection had been stolen after returning to his storage unit to retrieve the works.

Roadshow's Most Wanted Case Number

RMW-001

Date of Incident

October 2001 - July 2002

Seeker

Jim McCarty

Location

Cathedral City, California

Items Sought

Over 50 paintings

Case Status

Ongoing

Case Summary

Jim McCarty had collected California plein air paintings for two decades before placing them in a storage facility while his home was being renovated. McCarty discovered his entire collection had been stolen after returning to his storage unit to retrieve the works. Determined to reclaim his beloved art, McCarty was able to recover several works on his own before ROADSHOW met with him in June, 2007.

Resources

Jim McCarty's gallery of stolen paintings
The FBI Art Theft Program
The Art Loss Register
Stolen: The Gallery of Missing Masterpieces, by Jonathan Webb and Julian Radcliffe. Cameron House, 2008

Related

RMW-002: Missing Artifacts from the Wisconsin Historical Society
RMW-003: Colorado Unclaimed Property Division
RMW-004: Lost New Deal Artwork
RMW-005: Missing Norman Rockwell Coca-Cola Illustrations
RMW-006: Stolen Artworks from Hobcaw Barony
RMW-007: The Missing Norman Studios Film Reels
RMW-008: The Apollo Theater Archive

Mt. San Jacinto — Palm Springs. Oil, by George Bickerstaff. 30" x 24". Jim McCarty with a recovered painting. The owner, Jim McCarty, was able to recover this painting in 2009, after his story was featured on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW. Two Men at Sea. Oil, by Warren Chase Merritt. 16" x 12". Carmel Coastline. Oil, by George Bickerstaff. 30" x 23.25". Scholar/Athlete/Musician. Oil, by Anna Cutler Webster. 17.5" x 25.5".
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