WIX Archives
Re: That provenance debate
Posted by Mark V on Fri Nov 14, 2003 02:10:57 PM
In reply top That provenance debate posted by Cees Broere on Fri Nov 14, 2003 11:19:18 AM
Cees,
Yes I would but I do understand that a warbird owner or potential owner wants to have a history attached to their warbird purchase. 'Provevnance' means the history of custodianship of an object, it seems to me that it really just means that it is possible to trace the string of owners, the movements and events associated with an object, be it a painting or a historic aircraft. I put my head above the parapet on Flypast's forum by suggesting that it would be going to far to take a completed Spitfire fuselage that contains some (albeit a small percentage) parts from a known original source and to subsequently graft on the identity of another (completely different) machine that has survived in the form of a small number of components plus a data plate.
At the end of the day if this makes the owner happy to spend his money on completing the airframe then great and I will be the first one to congratulate him. Its just that I am left with the feeling that the 'provenance' of such a machine may be brought in to question in the future.
No disrresepect is intended to Mark 12 or others who share his view on this fascinating issue - this is simply my personal opinion!