The sixth was bought in 1941 by a German dealer, who sold it to the Gemaldegalerie in Berlin in 1979.

British, German and Dutch dealers were also persuaded to leave art objects with the men pending completion of a sale.

After the war Trübsbach sold it to a German dealer.

"What's new is that German dealers need to have a presence in Berlin," says Mr. von Rosen.

The company plans to cut the number of German dealers to 450 from 900.

In Volkswagen's appeal before the Court of First Instance, the company said there was no general agreement with all German dealers to fix prices.

Bought by a German dealer after his death, it was acquired by the Pompidou Center in 1981 for $1.5 million.

Every week a German dealer buys a truckload of leather goods, bags and shoes, destined for Eastern Europe.

(This should assist, for example, the UK resident wishing to order a right hand drive model from a German dealer.)

The German dealer said the seller, a dancer, had inherited the stamp in a collection from her grandfather, who was a servant to a Russian nobleman.