The German newspaper Bild am Sonntag has quoted officials from Russia's Culture Ministry as saying that they were ready to loan Priam's Treasure to Germany for exhibition, but only on the condition that it is returned.

BBC: Website traces war booty

But its mechanical display was only designed to last for the six months of the exhibition and repair and maintenance costs mounted over the years.

BBC: Newport mechanical clock gets new home in Llanwern

The Chelsea Flower Show, that annual London touchstone of garden trends, has turned up its nose at gnomes for years, relenting only in the name of heritage to allow the exhibition in 1993 of Sir Charles Isham's original German figure.

ECONOMIST: Free that gnome

Producers have only one distribution route compared with, for example, Hollywood where studios recoup production costs through cinematic exhibition -- an arena currently safe from piracy -- and make a profit from DVD sales and TV rights.

CNN: Nollywood loses half of film profits to piracy, say producers