IN 1976, THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ART RESEARCH, INC., (IFAR), REALIZING THAT THERE WERE NO MEANINGFUL STATISTICS ON ART THEFT AND RECOVERY IN THE UNITED STATES AND THAT THERE WAS NO NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE WHICH KEPT RECORDS ON STOLEN ART, FORMED A CENTRAL ARCHIVE FOR STOLEN ART. THE IFAR HAS SOUGHT THE COLLABORATION OF SPECIALISTS SUCH AS POLICE, MUSEUM PERSONNEL, ART DEALERS, INSURANCE ADMINISTRATORS, AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO REGULARLY DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF ART THEFT. IFAR ALSO PLANS TO MAKE USE OF ITS RESOURCES FOR SCHOLARLY INQUIRY IN STUDYING THE PROBLEM OF POSITIVELY IDENTIFYING ART OBJECTS. ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE URGED TO FORWARD COPIES OF CURRENT ART THEFT REPORTS, AS WELL AS THOSE ART THEFT CASES WHICH REMAIN UNSOLVED, TO IFAR FOR INCLUSION IN THE CENTRAL ARCHIVE FOR STOLEN ART....ELW