TRIBAL PEOPLE 132 FIG. 11 (left): Mask. Tami Islands, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. 19th century. Provenance: Melbourne Savage Club (acquired prior to 1912); John and Marcia Friede (Jolika Collection), Rye/San Francisco; Bonhams 2014. Wood, pigment. H: 34 cm. FIG. 12 (below): Dance paddle. Solomon Islands. 19th century. Wood. H: 81 cm. FIG. 13 (top right): Helmet mask. Witu Islands, New Britain, Papua New Guinea. 19th century. Ex Sotheby’s 1981; Gilbert Manley, Durham, United Kingdom; Christie’s, Paris, June 2009. Wood, pigment. H: 55 cm. FIG. 14 (bottom right): Korwar headrest. Geelvink Bay, West Papua, Indonesia. 19th century. Ex Michael Graham-Stewart, London/Auckland. Wood. H: 18.5 cm. became a curator at the National Gallery in Canberra, but his deep knowledge and enthusiasm for Oceanic art were infectious and greatly inspired my interest. Dealers like Michael Hamson, Anthony Meyer, and Kevin Conru also have been very helpful. They all have deep knowledge and an eye for Oceanic art that has been refi ned through a combination of fi eld experience and deep research in the literature. Indeed, Anthony’s book Oceanic Art, which was published in 1996, is what actually got me thinking seriously about owning Oceanic art. Michael’s wonderful catalogs, which included essays contributed by a variety of experts, have been a signifi cant contribution to the literature on Oceanic art in recent years and have allowed me to get to know the art of Papua New Guinea much better. Kevin’s books on the art of the Solomon Islands and the Bismarck Archipelago, among others, have done the same. In Australia, Chris and Anna Thorpe have been especially helpful. Their deep love and knowledge of Oceanic art are inspiring. They share a very good eye and I am constantly impressed by their ability to fi nd great pieces, sometimes with amazing provenances, that have been missed by others. Our dinners together have been a highlight of my enjoyment of Oceanic art. T. A. M.: Does your location in Australia affect your acquisitions? M. M.: Yes. As we all know, the centers for tribal art are Western Europe and North America, and this is where the major dealers and auction houses are. This makes it hard for me to view pieces prior to auction or to see them in a dealer’s gallery unless I happen to be there at the time. The internet has made it much easier to get pictures and condition reports quickly and easily, but it is still not the same as seeing a piece in real life. Having said that, I do now fi nd that it is easier to judge what a piece will be like from a photo than I could in the past. This makes it easier to be more confi dent in buying, but I would still prefer to be able to see and touch a piece before I acquire it. T. A. M.: A pair of your objects was displayed in interesting circumstances recently. Tell us about that. M. M.: About ten years ago the Melbourne Savage Club sold seven pieces of old Oceanic art to John Friede. I have been fortunate in recent years to be able to acquire three of them. Two of these are a pair of Tami
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