ART IN MOTION
BELOW: Dance shield,
ndome. Kikuyu, Murang‘a,
Kenya.
Wood, pigment.
To be offered at Bonhams, Los
Angeles, on May 22, 2018,
est. $40,000–80,000.
72
Bonhams
LOS ANGELES—Bonhams has three sales scheduled
for the late spring of this year. The first, titled Embodiments
of Power & Prestige, is a single-owner collection
comprised of high-quality shields, staffs, weapons,
and textiles. It will be held on May 22, 2018. Meticulously
formed by a European collector over the last
thirty years, the collection illustrates the extraordinary
capabilities of non-Western peoples to master design,
form, construction, and beauty in works that were intended
to function as ingredients for war and aggression.
Highlights include an exceptional Cook Islands
pole club, ‘akatara, and a particularly fine Kikuyu
dance shield, ndome, from Murang’a, Kenya. From
the Toropalca area in Bolivia are two exceedingly
fine nineteenth-century overskirts, nañakas, finely
woven in alpaca and/or sheep wool, reminiscent
of the paintings of Mark Rothko. This will be followed
by a various-owners sale of art from Africa,
Oceania, and the Pre-Columbian Americas.
Two weeks later, on June 4, 2018, Bonhams will
hold its sale of Native American art. Traditionally
held in San Francisco, henceforth this sale is shifting
its venue to Los Angeles. It will feature art and
artifacts from the native peoples of the Plains, the
Woodlands, the Southwest, California, and the
Northwest Coast and Arctic. One highlight will be a
Haida argillite “ship’s type” panel pipe dating to the
mid nineteenth century.
Skinner
BOSTON—The New England–based auction house
Skinner has been offering art and antiques since the
1960s. Its American Indian and Ethnographic art department
is about to enter a new phase with the retirement
of long-time expert Douglas Deihl and the
entry into the department of notable private dealer
Michael Evans. A familiar face from Parcours and any
number of other shows, Evans’ areas of expertise emphasize
Oceanic art and ethnographic photography,
though he is also a comfortable generalist. We wish
him well in his new position.
Skinner’s first sale under Evans will be held on May
5, 2018. It will feature material from the estate of
famed Chicago-based photographer Arnold Crane,
who passed away in 2014. His collection emphasized
African sculpture and metalwork, including bronzes
and weapons. Another highlight will be a significant
collection of Asante goldweights from an old collection
in New Jersey. Many of these were purchased
from J. J. Klejman in the 1960s.
ABOVE: Overskirt, nañaka.
Toropalca, Bolivia.
19th century.
Alpaca/sheep wool.
To be offered at Bonhams, Los
Angeles, on May 22, 2018,
est. $50,000–90,000.
Left: Pole club, ‘akatara
(detail).
Cook Islands.
Wood.
To be offered at Bonhams, Los
Angeles, on May 22, 2018,
est. $80,000–120,000.
BELOW: Eroded fi gure.
Dogon, Bandiagara Cliffs,
Mali.
Wood.
Ex Philippe Guimiot.
To be offered at Skinner, Boston, on
May 5, 2018.