131 FIG. 8 (left): Ancestor memorial fi gure. Central Papuan Gulf, Papua New Guinea. 19th or early 20th century. Ex Carlo Monzino (1931–1996), Lugano. Overmodeled ancestral skull with original bone septum ornament and dog tooth headdress, fi berwork fi sh trap, bark belts, shell ornaments, bone dagger, and billum bag, all belonging to the ancestor. H: 97 cm. FIG. 9 (above left): Shield. Kiriwina Island, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea. 19th century. Ex Wayne Heathcote, Miami; John and Marcia Friede (Jolika Collection), Rye/San Francisco; Sotheby’s, Paris, December 2007. Wood, pigment. H: 74 cm. FIG. 10 (above right): Shield. Astrolabe Bay, Papua New Guinea. 19th century. Ex Linden Museum, Stuttgart; by exchange to Munich dealer Brett Schneider on June 23, 1969; Gallery 43, Philip Goldman, London; Peter Bruckmann, London; Michael Graham-Stewart, London. Wood, pigment. H: 91 cm. made for use (as opposed to made for sale to foreigners) and thus ones that the makers and owners took great pride in. Provenance is an added attraction and one that is important but not essential to me. Provenance provides a piece a history and a backstory that can greatly add to an object’s appeal and value. When and by whom it was collected and who has owned it are important factors. That said, undiscovered masterpieces can turn up in all areas of art, but, for a variety of reasons, this is more common in tribal art than most other areas. Learning to appreciate a piece on its own merits in the absence of any known provenance can be challenging but also exciting and eventually very satisfying. T. A. M.: Are there any particular dealers or other people you have met who have especially infl uenced the directions that you have taken? M. M.: When I fi rst started collecting, I met Crispin Howarth. This was long before he still turn up. With regard to African art, one important reason why I don’t pursue it is that there are no signifi cant collections in Australia, which makes it impossible to gain extensive hands-on experience with it there. I travel extensively and look at a lot of art overseas, but it’s still both nice and informative to be able to visit and talk to local collectors and dealers. T. A. M.: What do you look for in an object? What makes it satisfying for you? M. M.: I’m interested in shape and form, but what I really want is for a piece to move me. When I encounter a piece that grabs my attention, makes me turn my head, and I can’t stop looking at it, l know I have found something special. Seeing a great piece of art is like encountering a very beautiful woman— it is impossible not to be distracted or to have one’s attention diverted. Originality and use within the culture that created the artwork also are vitally important to me. I’m only interested in owning pieces that have been
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