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MayMai2011VOLUME25www.arttribalnews.comNYCTRIBALARTWEEKMarketINSIGHTmarktInsightcuturaffairsrviwsgaFrontintrviwsobjctsadsArtTribalNewsletterLLC2011AllinformationandimagesincludedarepropertyofArtTribalNewsletterLLCandshallnotbereproducedorusedinanywaywithouttheproperexpressedwrittenconsent.Phone1888832-9285MAJORAUCTIONSATTRACTCOlleCTORSTONYFORTRIBAlARTWeeKUnlessyouhavebeenlivingunderarockyouknowthatMayisthebusiesttimeofyearforTribalArtinNewYorkCity.SpringweatherauctionsgalleryexhibitionsandeventsdrawthebiggestcollectorsanddealerstoNewYorklikeamagnet.Sothebysishopingforacontinuationofsalesrecordslikethoseof2010.LastyearwasasensationalyearforSothebyswhorakedinover33.8millionforAfricanandOceanicArtSalesalone.SothebysInternationalAfricanOceanicArtsalesaccountfornearly85ofthemarket.OnFridaythe13ofMayat1000AMSothebyswillcommencesession1ofatwopartsale.TheRobertRubinCollectionofAfricanArtisoneofthemostimportantcollectionsofAfricanarttoappearontheinternationalmarketinrecentyears.Mr.Rubin1934-2009wasalifetimetrusteeoftheMuseumforAfricanArtinNewYorkandamajorfigureinthefield.Therelativelysmallcollectionof50worksreflectshisextraordinarytasteanddiscernmentandhisquestforthefinestexamplesfromeachregionandstyle.AmongthemanyhighlightsisaBauleMaleAncestorFigurefromIvoryCoastestimated600000-900000whichisknownasthebestofitstype.ItwascreatedbyamastercarverwhoseattentiontodetailisunsurpassedinAfricanart.Theunusuallylarge24insculptureisofexceptionallyhighquality.ItboastsimpressiveprovenanceandhasalsobeenwidelypublishedincludingintheprestigiousLArtNegrbyPierreMeauzin1967.AnothermajorhighlightfromthesaleisaDogonNduleriMaleAncestorFigureestimated200000-300000whichistheName-PieceoftheMasteroftheSlantedEyesandthecompaniontoafemalefigureinthecollectionoftheMuseduLouvreinParis.InadditionASongyeMalePowerFigureestimated150000-250000whichwaswidelyexhibitedandpublishedinworkssuchasWilliamRubinsPrimitivismin20thCenturyArtAffinityoftheTribalandtheModernNewYork1984volIp.159.At200PMSothebyswillstartthesecondpartofthesaleTheMayauctionofAfricanOceanicandPre-ColumbianArtwhichoffersarichselectionofexceptionalartfromthetraditionalculturesofsub-SaharanAfricathePacificIslandsandIndonesiaaswellasCentralandSouthAmerica.TheinspirationmodernEuropeanartistsdrewfromthesetraditionalculturesinthefirstdecadesofthe20thcenturyisparticularlyevidentinaselectionofsculpturefromthecollectionofrenownedModernartdealerPierreMatisselots167-202.ThesonofthepainterHenriMatisseopenedhisgalleryinNewYorkin1931andlaunchedsomeoftheearliestexhibitionsoftheArtsofAfricaOceaniaandtheAmericasintheUnitedStates.RepresentedinthegroupareabeautifulFangReliquaryFigureastrikingKanakRoofSpireandasublimeTeotihuacanGreenstoneMask.Pre-ColumbianartiswellrepresentedfromvariousprivatecollectionsincludinganimportantgroupofAndeantextilesandceramicsfromthecollectionofRolandHartmannSwitzerlandfineMayaceramicsCentralAmericangoldandanOlmecjadespoonpendantofextraordinaryemeraldgreencolorfromaNorthAmericanprivatecollection.AlargeChinescoSeatedMaleFigureTypeAisamongtheevocativeWestMexicanceramicfiguresfromvariousAmericancollections.ThesalefeaturesastrongselectionofAfricanartincludinganimportantPunuMaskfromGabonwhichwaspublishedinCarlEinsteinsinfluential1915bookNegerplastik.AmagnificentYorubaFemaleFigureofawomanofferingaramleadsagroupofWestAfricanartfromthecollectionofNancyandRichardBloch.ArareandimportantLuba-SongyekifwebeMaskisofthetypethatprobablyinspiredoneofPabloPicassosmostdynamicperiods1907-1908whenhepaintedLesDemoisellesdAvignon.SelectionsofNewGuineaartfromtheJOLIKAcollectionofMarciaandJohnFriedeincludeanimportantAdjirabReliquaryFigurefromthePoraporaRiverRegionararepairofElemaBarkclothMasksfromthePapuanGulfandanintricateMaleAncestorFigurefromasacredfluteoftheChambriLakeregion.HighlightsfromPolynesiaincludeanEasterIslandFigureoneofthefinestearlyexamplesoftheraremoaitangatatypereminiscentoftheislandsfamousmassivestoneheadsandanelegantearly19thcenturyFijiyaquonakavabowlintheformofaseaturtle.Images-CourtesySothebys.