Lost 17th century sculpture returned to church

A valuable sculpture taken from a London church during the Blitz has been returned after turning up in an auction.

The bust of the distinguished physician and botanist Dr Peter Turner dates back to 1614 and is valued at £70,000.

It was looted from St Olave’s in the City of London on 17 April 1941 and only made its way back to its former home after a curator at the Museum of London spotted it in the listing of the Dreweatts auction house last year.

The bust was removed from the sale list after an investigation by the Art Loss Register.

Previous owners were traced to Belgium and the Netherlands but the Art Loss Register believes they did not know that the bust was stolen.

After more than 70 years apart, the finely detailed alabaster sculpture was returned to the church last month after negotiations with antique dealers on the continent.

The Rev Oliver Ross, Rector of St Olave Hart Street, said the return of Dr Peter Turner's bust was a “cause for great celebration”.

“We are deeply grateful to the Art Loss Register for their diligent and generous efforts on our behalf, as well as to Dreweatts and the two dealers concerned, for enabling such a happy end to Dr Turner's long years of exile".