Art Unions Act 1846

Voluntary Associations constituted for the Distribution of Works of Art by Lot deemed legal, provided a Royal Charter shall have been first obtained, &c.

That all such voluntary Associations as aforesaid, now constituted, or which may hereafter be constituted according to the Provisions herein-after contained, shall be deemed to be lawful Associations; and the Members of and Subscribers and Contributors to all such lawful Associations, and all Persons acting under their Authority or on their Behalf for the Purposes aforesaid, shall be freed and discharged from all Pains and Penalties, Suits, Prosecutions, and Liabilities, to which by Law they would be liable but for the passing of this Act, as being concerned in illegal Lotteries, Littlegoes, or unlawful Games, by reason of any thing done or which may be done by them or any of them in furtherance of the Allotment or Distribution, by Scheme or otherwise, of Paintings, Drawings, or other Works of Art, or of the Allotment or Distribution of Sums of Money as Prizes to be expended for their Purchase : Provided always, that a Royal Charter or Charters shall have been first obtained for the Incorporation of any such Association, or provided that the Deed of Partnership, or other Instrument or Instruments constituting such Association, and the Rules and Regulations relating to the Proceedings of such Association for such Purposes as aforesaid, shall have first been submitted to the Consideration and be approved of by a Committee of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and a Copy thereof deposited with such Committee ; and that it shall be expressed in every such Charter, Deed, or Instrument, that it shall be lawful for any Committee of Her Majesty's Privy Council to whom the Consideration of Art Unions shall be referred by Her Majesty, whenever it shall appear to them that any such Association is perverted from the Purposes of this Act, to certify the Fact to Her Majesty, and thereupon it shall be lawful for Her Majesty to revoke or annul the Charter, Deed, or Instrument under which the Association so offending shall have been constituted ; and nothing in this Act contained shall be deemed to apply to any Association whose Charter, Deed of Partnership, or other Instrument constituting the same shall have been so revoked or annulled.