Oceanic Art: The James Hooper Collection - Christie’s 1980 - Maori, Iatmul, Abelam, Asmat, Sepik, Massim, Kwoma, Sulka, Tolai, Kanak, Marquesas, Austral, Cook - England (No reserve price)

Christie's London 1980 - Oceanic Art: The James Hooper Collection – With unique handwritten hammer prices and purchaser notes (e.g. J. Willis)

Description:
An exceptionally and historically valuable copy of Christie's London’s original auction catalogue: "Oceanic Art from the James Hooper Collection," for the sale on Tuesday 17 June 1980. James Thomas Hooper's collection (1897–1971) is regarded worldwide as one of the most important and influential private collections of tribal art from the 20th century. This specific sale in 1980 marked a peak and decisively shaped the market for Oceanic art.

Unique historical document (Including filled-in room list): This copy was actually used during the auction itself. In the catalogue, the estimated prices (estimates) are noted for various lots. What makes this lot truly unique is the presence of the original, loose estimate list that was handed to attendees in the room at the time. This list was meticulously kept in the room by a visitor at the time:
With nearly all of the 160 lots, the actual hammer price is noted in blue ink.
The list contains extremely rare handwritten references to top buyers and destinations. For example, for the top piece, lot 34, the legendary dealer "J. Willis" is noted (who bought the piece for £6,500) and for lots 114 and 160 the important museum note "Ref. Dept." (Reference Department / Institutional purchase) with amounts up to £190,000. This kind of detailed in-room information is not found anywhere in official online registers. This makes this catalogue an indispensable source document for provenance research.

Cross-References & Literature:
The objects in this catalogue form the basis for numerous scholarly publications. They directly complement Steven Phelps’s standard work: Art and Artefacts of the Pacific, Africa and the Americas: The James Hooper Collection (1976). Many of the highlights from this particular catalogue are now in leading world museums.

Condition:
In reasonable, authentic condition with clear signs of actual use in the sale room. This gives the document its unique character. The cover has a light crease bottom left. The interior and the loose list are clean, sturdy and complete.

Note for the bidder:
In this and upcoming auctions, many high-quality ethnographic publications will be offered, including many from Oceania, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Africa. A unique opportunity for building or expanding a specialized art-historical library.

Shipping & Pickup:
Shipping takes place with Track & Trace.

When purchasing multiple lots, I apply a fair adjustment to the shipping costs, appropriate to the total volume and insured value.

Pickup is possible in The Hague, Benoordehout (2596GN).