The text content of the Sotheby's Sale Catalogue

[Front cover]

Sotheby and Co.
34 & 35 New Bond Street, London W.1
Catalogue
of
Important African, Oceanic and Indian Sculpture
The property of Dr. W. Muensterberger, New York ... and other owners [1]
Day of sale
Monday, 15th November, 1965
at 2.30 p.m. precisely

 

[Inside Cover]

Catalogue
of
Important
African, Pacific North-West Coast, Oceanic and Indian Sculpture
including
A group of Gandhara grey schist standing and seated
figures of Buddha
Two Gandhara grey schist heads of Buddha
all 300-400 A.D.
A rare Hawaiian wood figure of a God
A New Ireland ancestor memorial wood plaque
A New Ireland Totok Wood carving
Four New Ireland wood masks
A large Dogon wood figure
A Benin bronze plaque
Two Benin bronze heads
A Benin bronze figure of a boy
and
An important Benin bronze figure of a rifleman
which will be sold by Auction
by Messrs.
Sotheby & Co. ...[2]

-------

Here are all the lots definitely identified in the catalogue  now held by Cambridge University Library:

Add.9455vol6_p1839 /1: ‘Lot 17 A Tlinglit wood circular rattle made in two parts, a human mask carved in low relief on either side swallowing a frog, the frog’s head and two front legs shown on one side, its backside and two back legs on the other, traces of polychrome decoration 9 1/2 in (24.2 cm) See illustration.'

The lot was bought by Fordson for £520.

Add.9455vol4_p1351/3: 'Lot 31 A Southern New Ireland white chalk figure of an ancestress, her hands joined across her breasts, with projection attached to the feet for mounting in the ground, features of the oval face incised and hair indicated by small squares 18 1/2 in (47 cm) Such figures were carved upon a person’s death, and set up in a temporary shelter for a period of mourning, after which they were usually broken. For the type see Cranstone pl 8d (see illustration)’

Matched on appearance and also suggestion in illustration of support. Note the lot was sold for £180 to Professor J. Millot.

Add.9455vol4_p1442 /1: 'Lot 33 A New Ireland wood ancestor figure standing on a pointed drum-shaped base, the phallic figure with grotesque features, with palm-fibre hair, snail shell eyes and long pendulous ears touching his shoulders, his arms held out in front of him, five barbed supporters surround him and are attached to the figure at various points, polychrome decoration in red, white and black, representation of a kap-kap on chest 19 in (48.2 cm) (see illustration)’

Sold to Dalvin for £210.

Add.9455vol4_p1362/ 1: 'Lot 43 A Solomon Islands wood model of a single outrigger sailing canoe, almost entirely stained black but with certain reserved details, decorated all over with small notched triangular and Z-shaped inlays of nautilus mother-of-pearl, the prow with a bird’s head holding a fish in its beak 38 in long (96.5 cm) (See illustration)’

Sold  to J. Small for £150.

Add.9455vol3_p1120 /1: 'Lot 86  A New Guinea wood canoe washboard carved with an intricate partly openwork design of vertical and horizontal intersecting scrolls derived from the heads of frigate birds, red and black painted decoration on a light wood ground 22 3/4 in by 32 1/2 in wide (57.8 cm by 82.5 cm) Trobriand Islands Massim River Area Compare Guiart p. 316 Zervos et al fig 33 (see illustration)’

Sold to Ohly for £130. [3]

Add.9455vol6_p1804 /1: 'Lot 134 A Benin Bronze Staff with pointed blade cast with a reptile and herring bone pattern at the top, the handle in the form of a circular platform with a small kneeling human figure, a circular dish in his outstretched arms, the cylindrical haft behind cast with reptiles and horizontal ropework borders, the whole surmounted by the seated figure of an official wearing a choker and tall cylindrical head-dress with reptiles in relief and agate bead ornament, cruciform beadwork straps over his chest, carrying a staff with human terminal in his right hand and an adze in the other 25 1/4 in (64.1 cm) Nigeria (see illustration)’

Sold to K.J. [John] Hewett for £250.

Add.9455vol5_p1642 /1: 'Lot 135 A Benin bronze mace head with finely incised strapwork decoration on a fretted gilt ground, decorated with the figure of a leopard cast in the round, its tail curling up against the back of the staff, huntsmen in Portuguese dress to either side, the animal supporting the upper part of the mace on its back which is decorated with two zones of human masks in profile and full face, also two mudfish and a rosette on a scale background 9 1/2 in (24 cm) Nigeria (see illustration)’

Sold to K.J. Hewett for £720.

Add.9455vol5_p1603 /1: 'Lot 136 A Benin Bronze plaque with two figures of warriors in relief, with reticulated beadwork caps and long plaited sidepieces terminating in agate beads, with high chokers, wearing loin cloths, anklets and armlets, and holding tablets in front of them, the tablets decorated with incised roundels, a barbed weapon to the left behind each figure, incised rosette background, strapwork decoration on two of the sides 18 3/4 in (47.6 cm) by 14 1/2 in (36.8 cm) Nigeria (see illustration)’

Sold for £2800 to Gimpel.

Add.9455vol5_p1699 /3:  'Lot 137 A Benin bronze female head with closely set eyes, three cicatrice marks over each eye, the pupils of the eyes recessed, the chin thrust forward, the hair arranged in six horizontal ridges and divided vertically into small ringlets, two plaits with coral or agate bead finials and terminals hang down at either side of the face, two knopped ornaments above the forehead, circular hole in crown, the neck with four strings of coral beads, plain platform base, large rectangular cavity behind 20 1/4 in (51.5 cm) Nigeria. This head is not cast in typical Benin Court style and probably comes from Udo, some twenty-five miles west of Benin City, in the Kingdom of Benin. Compare Elisofohn figs 158-9 Fagg pl 56 Traditional Art of the British Colonies Catalogue of an Exhibition held at the Royal Anthropological Institute 1949, pl 9 no 24 A head of similar type was sold in these Rooms on Monday 5th July 1954 lot 77 (see illustration)’

Sold for £2800 to K.J. Hewett.

 

Add.9455vol5_p1596 /1: 'Lot 139 A Benin bronze jug on four human feet wearing anklets and a central circular pedestal, the rounded body and spreading neck decorated with horizontal plaited bands, the handle in the form of a snake devouring a human being, a half human seated phallic figure in the front with crocodile mouth forming the spout, with a belly frieze of three human masks with arms coming out of the tops of their heads and feet out of their chins, ropework border round rim, with two pairs of looped rings for the hinged cover which is surmounted by a human figure, with four human masks round the edge their chins resting on the outer ropework border 15 1/2 in (39.5 cm) Nigeria Compare Roth fig 256 Read and Dalton pl x No 1 A vessel of similar type was sold in these Rooms on Monday, 7th December 1953 (see illustration)’

Sold to Gimpel for £1100.

Add.9455vol5_p1627 /1: 'Lot 140 A small Benin bronze standing female figure wearing a reticulated pointed head-dress decorated with agate rosettes in relief, three cicatrice marks above each eye, four long plaited tassels terminating in an agate bead, hanging down to either side of the face, wearing a high coral choker and straps of coral crossed over and tied in front between the bare breasts, the upper part of her arms decorated with reticulated coral beadwork, with arm lets and anklets and a long skirt decorated with three rows of guilloche pattern, holding a staff joined to her skirt in her left hand 9 1/8 in (23 cm) Nigeria (see illustration)’

Sold to K.J. Hewett for £380.

 

Add.9455vol4_p1507 /2: 'Lot 141 A small Benin bronze female figure, wearing an elaborate large coral rolled necklet, two beadwork straps crossed over in front under her breasts and down her back, with a short reticulated coral beadwork skirt, and cap with long coral tassels, with a crest-line of radiating spikes, standing wearing anklets and armlets and holding a rectangular tablet raised in her right hand, her left hand clenched before her 7 1/8 in (18.1 cm) Upheld tablets are often seen in Benin sculpture but where they appear in bronze they are upheld by a female figure. For an example of two women carrying tablets see Roth fig 272 (see illustration)’

Sold to K.J. Hewett for £680.

Add.9455vol6_p1926 /1: 'Lot 143 A Benin bronze figure of a boy standing on a square base with hands upraised, palms facing outwards, wearing a coral bead necklet, loin cloth decorated with hatched and plain scale pattern, armlets on the upper and lower parts of the arms, a tight-fitting reticulated coral head cap with a snake forming  a central ornament, small hole in crown of head, three cicatrice marks above each eye 16 3/4 in (42.5 cm) Nigeria (see illustration)’

Sold to ARTW Godwin for £2200

Add.9455vol6_p1766 /1: 'Lot 144 An important Benin bronze figure of a rifleman, with a closely fitted beadwork cap ornamented with a frieze of insects attached to triangular aegis like plaques, three cicatrice marks above each eye and hair worn in horizontal layers at the back, he wears a leopard-skin, a dagger and belt hanging from it, its tail behind terminating in a bell, attached to his short pleated loin cloth is a cartridge belt, powder flask, sword and pouch, his knee breeches with linear and dot decoration, in his outstretched hands he carries a flintlock gun, the stock ornamented with a debased human head, the figure is standing with left leg bent at the knee, a human mask in relief on the square base surrounded by nine pellets, the sides with diamond-shaped panels of interlacing strapwork on the front and back faces and vertical ovals containing incised dots and crescent shaped motifs on the other two faces 20 1/2 in (52.1 cm) Nigeria (see illustration)’

Sold to Gimpel for £4200.

Here are the lots which might have been identified in the CUL catalogue:

Add.9455vol1_p258 /3: Lot 19 A Tlingit chief’s ceremonial headdress composed of small wood rectangular plate attached to a basket cap of cedar bark surmounted by a crown of sea-lion whiskers, the frontal plaque with the figure of an eagle, totemic designs and a frog carved between its wings, enriched with polychrome decoration and inlays of abalone shell frontal ornament 7 in (7.8 cm) overall height 15 1/2 in (39.4 cm) (See illustration)’

The photograph certainly matches the illustration, though there is no mention of the animal skins in the Sotheby’s catalogue. Judging by entry, though, this might have been eaten before this date. Remainder of the object looks very similar. The lot was sold for £580 to K.J. Hewett

Add.9455vol2_p222 /2: 'Lot 32 A New Ireland carved wood Malanggan mask of elaborate openwork form, the grotesque human face with snakes coming out of the nostrils of the looped nose, the crescent shaped eyes with snail-shell pupils, with notched side supporters to which the heads of the curved snakes are attached, the open mouth with bared teeth, pendulous ears (broken) the whole with elaborate geometric polychrome decoration in orange-red, black and white, the hair composed of tufts of palm fibre stained deep yellow on one side and tufts of white painted bark on the other 14 1/2 in (36.8 cm) (See illustration)’

Bought by the Arcade Gallery for £190. This has been matched because of the appearance as Sotheby’s do not list the provenance, however the photo is shown face on whilst the drawing is a side profile so the match is not certain. The details seem to match however.

Add.9455vol2_p221 /1: Lot 36 A New Ireland Malanggan wood totok carving of pole-like form carved with the upright figure of an animal with tall rounded ears, kap-kap on its breast, standing on a bird its long beak pointing upwards, a projection below it for mounting the carving in the ground, the animal holds a bird, its tail feathers curving upwards to form its eyebrows, it in turn holds another bird in its beak, the beak of the latter bird meeting that of the bird on which the figure stands, the whole carved within an openwork framework and with elaborate geometric polychrome decoration in orange-red, black and white, the figure and bird’s ees formed of snail shells 42 ins (1 m 6.7 cm) For similar carving see Guiart pl 285 (see illustration)’

[There is a discrepancy with measurement in volume, though the image looks identical. The Lot sold to K.J. Hewett for £680

Add.9455vol2_p221 /3: Lot 37 A New Ireland Malanggan wood openwork ancestor memorial board, with a combination of carving in high and low relief, comprising the principal figure of a large hornbill in profile, devouring a snake and holding an uli ancestor figure, also in profile, to him, a complex design of curving snakes and birds surround the two figures, above in low relief a fret-work design of human masks and feathers, the whole with geometric designs in black, orange-red and white, the two principal figures with snail shell eyes 45 1/4 in (1 m 14.3 cm) by 17 in (43.2 cm) The Malanggan consists of a group of figures, masks, totors and bas-reliefs of carved wood, specially made and erected on the occasion of a commemorative feast given in honour of one or more dead persons (See illustration)’

Sold to Mansour for £1,400.

Add.9455vol4_p1353 /1: 'Lot 88 A Maori wood feather box (wakahuia or papahou) of flat rectangular form, the ends carved in openwork relief with two grotesque figures, their heads pointing inwards, with long spirally curving tongues, and spirally scrolled attentuated limbs behind, the heads, sides and base carved all over with grotesque figures with intertwined scrolling limbs and accentuated with dentate and linear carving, the recessed lid similarly worked, the nds fit into a double crescent shaped recess carved with two eyes, eyebrows on the lid 21 3/4 in long (54.6 cm) 14 1/2 in wid (36.9 cm) See illustration’

If this is a correct match then the box sold for £200 to K. Webster

Add.9455vol6_p1992 /1: 'Lot 126 A large Benin wood mask with bulbous, rounded features, rectangular protruding mouth and large nose with flattened nostrils, the eyes pierced below the lower lips, with undulating hairline and the hair indicated by small squares, 12 in (30.5 cm) Nigeria (see illustration)’

If this is a correct match, and it looks very similar, then the mask was sold to K.J. Hewett for £320.

To see images of the above items, go here.

Notes

[1] The Pitt-Rivers or the museum at Farnham were not mentioned

[2] On the copy of the catalogue held by the Balfour Library, Pitt Rivers Museum, besides the reference to the Benin objects is handwritten, 'Pitt-Rivers Museum. Farnham'

[3] The Pitt Rivers Museum copy of the sal e catalogue includes a double-sided sheet bound into the volume giving the name of the purchaser and cost in pounds sterling and US dollars. Only the English price is given above.