Emma C. Bunker

Emma Bunker (19 June 1930, Haverford, Pennsylvania - 21 Feb. 2021) was an American art historian and museum trustee, who was revealed to be involved with looted antiquities.

Early life Emma Cadwalader Bunker (Emma C. Bunker) was born June 19, 1930, in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and studied at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts, earning an M.A. in the field of Asian art. In 1956, she married John Bunker, an executive of Holly Sugar Corporation in Colorado Springs and son of a U.S. ambassador. The couple moved to Denver in 1962.

Art historian and museum trustee Bunker served as a trustee and a consultant to the Denver Art Museum and was considered an expert in Asian art. She wrote numerous books about Asian antiquities. In 2018 a book of essays was published in her honor.

An art collector and a philanthropist Bunker and her husband donated 221 pieces to the Denver Art Museum.

Bunker's expertise was cited by auction houses such as Sotheby's in the sale of Asian art.

Looted art revelations In 2022 a series of investigative reports by the Denver Post explored Bunker's role in trafficking looted art. The Denver Art Museum issued a statement saying it was troubled by the revelations.

Together with Douglas Latchford, Bunker co-wrote books that experts say "were filled with false provenances." In 2023, two years after her death, the Denver Art Museum cut its ties with Bunker.