Thread by @incunabula

The heist in Dreden this morning, if confirmed, could be the largest art theft in history.

The Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault) was founded by Augustus the Strong in 1723, and is named after the malachite-green columns of the initial rooms.

Press reports:

https://twitter.com/incunabula/status/1198909466680451072

The Dresden police are reportedly holding a press conference in the next hour at 1pm - which will likely bring at least some clarity on what exactly has happened, but on the face of it, this is an absolutely colossal failure of security and custodianship.

https://twitter.com/PolizeiSachsen/status/1198914896605466624

Here's an updated story just online from Bild, with a focus on some of the Baroque-era treasures which may have been stolen early this morning from the #GrünesGewölbe.

bild.de/news/inland/ne…

One of the most important statues in the Grünes Gewölbe collection is the "Moor with Emerald Cluster" (Mohr mit Smaragdstufe; also known as the "Moor with Platter of Emeralds"). It was manufactured by the royal goldsmith Johann Melchior Dinglinger in 1724. 1/2

It was created because Augustus the Strong wanted to exhibit a precious emerald cluster, studded with 16 emeralds, in his Schatzkammer museum. This "miracle of nature", which originally came from a Colombian mine, was given to Elector Augustus by Emperor Rudolf II in 1581.

The 'Juwelen-Garnituren' constitute the largest collection of jewels in Europe. Here, the "Dresden White" or "Saxon White" (Sächsische Weiße), a 49.71-carat carat cushion-shaped diamond, is on display.Also unique is a 648-carat sapphire, a present from czar Peter I of Russia.

New report from Der Tagesspiegel says the treasures were "secured like Fort Knox".

tagesspiegel.de/kultur/einbruc…

Among the #GrueneGewoelbe's treasures are the extraordinary tableau of "The Royal Household at Delhi on the Occasion of the Birthday of the Grand Mogul Aureng-Zeb", shown here.

A curator with the magnificent "Royal Household at Delhi" tableau.

The Prime Minister of the state of Saxony – Michael Kretschmer - has released a statement saying: "Not only the state art collections were robbed, but we Saxons! The values ​​that can be found in the Grünes Gewölbe have been hard-won by the people of Saxony for many centuries."

This, according to the German tabloid Bild, is the window through which the thieves gained access to the Grünes Gewölbe Schatzkammer.

The Polizei Sachsen press conference has started.

Live feed of the Dresden Police press conference.
bild.de/video/clip/new…

Another link, if you're having difficulty with the Bild one.
pressecop24.com/live-aus-dresd…

The gist so far of the still-ongoing Dresden Police press conference:
1. As many as 90 pieces of jewelry may have been stolen including diamond necklaces and pearls of Royal provenance.
2. Not all vitrines were opened by the thieves. Still unclear what was stolen from 3 vitrines.

At present they are saying the art-historical value of the stolen diamond jewelry - mostly cut in the 19th century - may be much higher than the break-up value off the individual stones. It seems that the total value of the theft may be less than was initially feared.

Surveillance video shows at least two thieves.

3 suites of diamond jewelry are definitely confirmed stolen, one of 20 pieces, and one of 40 pieces.

Quite aggressive questioning from the reporters present at the press conference on how such a security breach was possible.

A just updated non-paywalled report from Bild on the #GrünesGewölbe heist, reflection information released in the Dresden Police press conference, now coming to a close.

bild.de/regional/dresd…

The #GrünesGewölbe thieves apparently disabled the museum's alarm system by burning out a publicly accessible electrical junction box. If confirmed by subsequent investigations, it's an absolutely astonishing lapse in security, and the heads of those responsible should roll.

Reports coming in in the last few minutes from the German press that this burned out Audi, found minutes after the theft in an underground parking garage, may have been the thieves initial getaway vehicle. #GrünesGewölbe

Another photo of the burned out Audi, found 15 minutes after the alarm was raised in a parking garage on Kötzschenbrodaer Straße a few kilometers away, and directly en-route from the the Grünes Gewölbe to the Autobahn.

New article from Spiegel Online again seeming to confirm that the loss was confined to three sets of 18th century diamond jewelry, of art-historical importance, but likely not of the enormous value initially feared.
spiegel.de/panorama/justi…

Good, sober reporting from Munich's always reliable Süddeutsche Zeitung on the heist.

sz.de/1.4696171

Updated UK press story on the Grünen Gewölbe heist in Dresden. Based on what we now know it seems the initial reports of a €1 bn loss were wild exaggerations - although of course this won't stop this "€1 billion" amount being still uncritically reported.
mol.im/a/7722255

https://twitter.com/ticiaverveer/status/1198978273142824961

Excellent, detailed report on everything known so far about the heist posted online 10 minutes ago by the Sächsische Zeitung. If you read German, this is the most comprehensive press coverage so far, also with some not-previously seen photos.

saechsische.de/dresden-einbru…

One of the treasures of the #GrueneGewoelbe's is the extraordinary tableau of "The Royal Household at Delhi on the Occasion of the Birthday of the Grand Mogul Aurengzeb", shown here. As far as we know, it was not stolen in the heist today.

More pics: theheritagelab.in/aurangzeb-birt…

An excellent article on the historical background to the amazing "Moor with the Emerald Cluster" is downloadable as a PDF here:
resources.metmuseum.org/resources/metp…

The "moor" is actually intended to be a South American Indian, who presents the Colombian emerald cluster on a tray of tortoiseshell. Fortunately, as far as we know, it appears to have survived the robbery unscathed.

Dresden Polizei have just released CCTV footage showing the thieves actually smashing the vitrines in the #GruenesGewoelbe.

The Polizei Sachsen have just released a report with photos of 9 pieces of jewellery and a jewelled sword stolen in the Grünes Gewölbe heist this morning, full details and pics here:
polizei.sachsen.de/de/63999.htm

A composite picture released by the Saxony police showing some of the stolen diamond and pearl jewellery.

Spiegel Online saying this morniing that the Grünes Gewölbe will be closed for a lengthy period while security arrangements are reviewed and if necessary upgraded.

spon.de/afBTx