Armory v Delamirie

Armory v Delamirie is a 1722 King s Bench decision that established the finders rights doctrine in English property law. A chimney sweeps boy found a jewel while working and brought it to a goldsmiths shop to have it valued; the goldsmiths apprentice removed the stone from its setting and offered a low price, then refused to return the stone when the boy declined. The court held that although a finder does not become the true owner of a lost item, a finder has a title good against everyone except the true owner, and awarded damages measured by the value of the finest jewel that would fit the setting, since the defendant s wrongdoing prevented the true value from being shown. The case remains the leading authority on the possessory rights of finders of lost property.