133 masks that were acquired by the club prior to 1912. Throughout their long life in the club and prior to being sold, they hung on either side of one of the fi replaces in the main reception room. I am a member of the Savage Club, and in February 2016 we held a dinner to allow several of us to help the other club members better understand the wonderful legacy the club has in its collection of Oceanic art. It was a successful evening that provoked a lot of interest. For the event, my masks were rehung in their original positions, and those attending the dinner were asked to “spot the mystery guests.” No one fi gured it out since they were focused on looking for people, but once the masks were pointed out, old members were very happy to see them again. T. A. M.: What do you see as the next step in your collection? M. M.: Trying to fi nd the best pieces possible! As a book collector, I have always searched for the fi nest copies in the best possible original bindings. To achieve this, I have had to constantly upgrade. This is harder to do in Oceanic art, since it takes time to compile a strong reference library, to see the range of art available, and to meet other collectors. Meeting Claus Schmidt-Luprian and seeing his collection was a pivotal point in my career as a collector of Oceanic art. His vibrant enthusiasm and deep knowledge are matched only by the quality of the pieces in his collection. It reinforced all the feelings I have gained over a lifetime of collecting. To really get to know and understand an area of art and then to search for the most beautiful examples of it is inspiring. It makes me recall a comment by Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller, I believe, which essentially was, “The goal of every collector should not be to end up with a collection of thousands of pieces like me, but with the best thirty to forty that they can acquire.”
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