‘Indiana Jones of the Art World’ Arthur Brand Recovers Priceless Dutch East India Company Archives
Renowned art detective Arthur Brand recovers stolen Dutch East India Company archives, including 17th-century ship logs and the corporation’s founding manuscript, restoring invaluable global history.
Dutch art detective Arthur Brand, famed for recovering masterpieces from Picasso to Van Gogh, has unearthed a priceless trove of stolen historical documents dating from the 15th to 19th centuries. Among the recovered items are several UNESCO-listed archives from the Dutch East India Company (VOC), the world’s first multinational corporation and a major force behind the Dutch Golden Age.
Brand called the discovery “one of the highlights” of his career, revealing documents that trace global trade, military exploits, and diplomacy from Europe to India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Latin America. One manuscript details the VOC’s founding meeting in 1602, featuring the creation of what’s considered the world’s first corporate logo.
The archives also include handwritten ship logs from famed admiral Michiel de Ruyter, whose daring 1667 raid on the English fleet remains a naval legend.
The stolen cache was recovered after Brand was tipped off by photos sent by someone who found the manuscripts while clearing an attic. After investigation, Brand confirmed the documents were stolen in 2015 from the National Archives in The Hague, allegedly by an employee who has since died.
UNESCO has long recognized the VOC archives as an essential part of “Memory of the World,” offering unparalleled insight into early global history.
Brand’s tireless work bridges the gap between law enforcement and the shadowy criminal networks trafficking stolen art. His latest find not only restores invaluable heritage but also sheds light on the darker chapters of colonial exploitation hidden in these historic pages.
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