Photos Around The World Winter 2017

 

Winter in Sweden

 

Fuji Garden Japan

 

Isle of Sky Scotland 

 

Jacaranda Trees 

 

Northern Ireland

 

Picacho Peak, Arizona

 

Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington

 

Schafberg Mountain, Austria

 

The Wave, Arizona 

 

South Island, New Zealand

Patterns of Collecting: The Ethnographic Collections of John Woodall, William Leazer, William Swann, and others.

Quinn’s Auction Galleries March 25^th Ethnographic Art Auction features, among others, the works of three collectors, John Woodall, William Leazer and William Swann, who approached collecting in separate and distinct ways. Through their artwork one can see just how personal collecting can be and how fascinating these different approaches often are.

                John Woodall began his life in the arts as performance artist in Northern California during the 1970s and quickly became immersed in the Native American culture of the area. Woodall literally became a part of his collection spending time with the Hupa people learning to weave baskets in their distinct style. For Woodall, collecting became a process of sharing a lifestyle and experiencing the cultures from within. Understanding this helps us appreciate why he collected what he did. A unique collection, with a wide scope, Woodall’s items reflect the special journey he took to obtaining and learning about them.

            Equally fascinating, William Leazer and his partner William Swann worked together for over forty years to create their collection as they traveled the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. For them, each item became a part of a personal scrapbook of their life together. Each object bringing back a memory from the past as they enjoyed the artwork in the present for its aesthetic merits in the home they shared.

            The artwork from both gentlemen proves there is no right way of collecting. It is the joy experienced on the personal level that supersedes any external art criticism that is so often placed on the shoulders of collectors. Quinn’s Auction Galleries is proud to offer a vast array of objects from these collections that bring together the work of many cultures and the memories of how they were collected and cherished.

        Gallery Preview Times

Saturday, March 18, 2017:            10:00am-2:00pm

Monday, March 20, 2017:             10:00am-5:00pm

Tuesday, March 21, 2017:             10:00am-7:00pm

Wednesday, March 22, 2017:      10:00am-6:00pm

Thursday, March 23, 2017:           10:00am-5:00pm

Friday, March 24, 2017:                  10:00am-4:00pm

Saturday, March 25, 2017:            9:00am-11:00am

     Auction—Saturday, March 25, 2017: 11:00am

My Word Winter 2017

This issue has focused on art market reports for 2016 and the art market predictions for 2017. President Trumps election has had a significant impact on the stock market that has seemingly by some expert opinion translated to the art market. We will follow the private and public art markets to keep you informed.

Regardless of whether you lean to the left or the right we can all agree that Mr. Trump has not been or will probably never be a staunch supporter of the arts. While we wait for the shoe to drop we can only speculate what his unique brand of leadership will mean to the institutions we all mostly revere. To date the consensus seems to be that NEA and NEH might well be in trouble but that PBS will prevail. We are watching and will follow this in the coming months.

Quinn's Auction House in Falls Church is posting another offering March 15th with a scheduled sale date of March 25th. This sale will include a fascinating collection from Plant City Florida featuring some very fine baskets from Northern California and Alaska. The Leazer collection from Dallas is also a part of this collection and is the personal effort of Bill and his partner of over 40 years of acquiring from cultures all over the world.

In this issue we also mark the passing of Jack Pemberton and Tom Wheelock. Both were friends that made major contributions to the field of African Art.

Be sure to check out Photos Around the World in this issue.. pretty spectacular..

Our new intern Mary Mass did most of the heavy lifting on this issue of the Newsletter. We are delighted to have her working with us.

Tom Wheelock - In Memoriam Winter 2017

Amyas graciously permitted me to reprint his personal recollections of Tom. This was posted on the Facebook page Amyas African Art which I encourage you all to follow.

Tom and I were never close but were certainly congenial acquaintances. We both felt, however, that we had the very unusual opportunity of getting to know each other as we shared a common foxhole in the Trepel Baga Serpent case that found us pitted against formidable adversaries working for the plaintiff. I found the case challenging, interesting, and at times fun. Tom found this experience to be in his words one of the worst in his life and worthy of a commitment to three martinis after testifying. I thoroughly enjoyed his very dry sense of humor, his dedication to excellence, and his reverence for the finer things in life. Tom will be missed by many. JB

Remembering Thomas Wheelock
Albums Remembering Thomas Wheelock
1 Photo · Updated about a month ago
Many of us were shocked to learn this month that our colleague and friend, author, collector and connoisseur Tom Wheelock had died over Christmas. He was just 75. Tom was born in 1941 to family of means. His maternal grandfather was one of the original giants of Wall Street and had set up Tom’s parents in a capacious apartment on Manhattan’s Upper Eastside where, as Tom described it, his father spent his day reading the newspaper. To some degree followed in his father’s footsteps as a professional gentleman although he traveled far and never endeavored to raise a family. Wherever he did go Tom always impressed with his impeccable dress and physical bearing a man of class. He was fan of the opera, knowledgeable about the arts of Japan, Europe, Ancient Egypt and the classical world, and until the end he maintained a membership at the venerable Union Club on Park Avenue. While he did earn some income writing appraisals and providing curatorial advice these endeavors gave satisfaction more in the form of purpose than needed remuneration.

I first met Tom at the very start of my career as a stand maker in the early 1990’s. A Malian trader had dropped off a mask for me to mount and suggested that I might sell it for him. As the mask was allegedly Bobo, another visitor to my basement workshop, Noble Endicott, recommended that I show a Mr. Tom Wheelock as it was not unattractive. Despite the fact that I had doubts about the authenticity of the mask I was assured that Mr. Wheelock was an avid collector of art from Burkina Faso and would know right away whether or not the mask was right. If the piece proved to be good I would be rewarded. And if not? Mr. Wheelock, I was assured, was fair-minded and would not hold it against me provided I was straight forward about the circumstances. At worst I would meet someone who I ought to know and who might well become a client. I called and in due course a man in a tweed jacket and matching fedora appeared with an elegant woman in tow. When I showed him the mask his shoulders drooped and he shook his head, then looked me in the eye with that wry half smile I would get to know so well. Although he said nothing, silently mouthing the word no. It was apparent that he had been somewhat hopeful but at the same time was unsurprised. Unfortunately, as I had nothing else to show him, he turned to leave but paused and said, “But it IS very good to know you are here.” Tom was then in his early 50’s, very fit and lively demeanor. In due course Tom did bring me pieces to mount. The quality was unfailingly outstanding and set a high standard by which similar objects might be judged. I visited his office on the top floor of an eastside mansion. It was something of a lair as it was stuffed with wonderful artwork warmly but inadequately lit and otherwise decorated with an eclectic array of Japanese prints, paintings and, by the door, an erotic, sado-masochistic flavored collage or two.
 
I learned that Tom had begun collecting art at an early age but knew nothing of African art until 1972 when, after driving with a girlfriend across the Sahara, he ended up in Ouagadougou. There he made the acquaintance of a fellow American, William Wright who was then at an early stage of his own career as an African art dealer, gathering up quality crafts and authentic works in the bush and shipping them to the US. Tom looked through Bill’s inventory and was smitten by the art. It was then the early 1970’s, a golden time in the African art trade when a substantial amount of older, indigenously used traditional sculpture and artifacts could still be found in situ, particularly in countries like Burkina Faso and Liberia that for a variety of reasons had hitherto been relatively overlooked by dealers and collectors more fixated on the art of those peoples from Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon and Mali that had most influenced the modernists. Having been raised in a milieu more concerned with quality than thrift Tom began by focusing on acquiring the best, eschewing bargains and cultivating contacts through a willingness to pay for it. Over the next five years Tom made

frequent buying trips to Burkina, then called Upper Volta. For a time these visits proved rewarding both in terms of his personal edification as well as in great finds. Along the way a few wonderful things were passed up because of youthful errors of judgment or breakdowns in negotiations (after all, Tom’s interests were not unique) but these failures were as instructive as they were rare. Finally, on a trip in the late 70’s, when he found nothing that met his rising standards for quality, Tom concluded it was over: Henceforth, he would only buy in Europe and state-side from collectors, dealers and at auction. The reality was that Tom had only hit a dry spell. Fine, important, authentic works remained in the field in Burkina Faso as they did elsewhere, albeit it in ever shrinking numbers. Tom of course understood this but the adventure of setting himself up in a “villa” in Burkina’s capital had lost its novelty along with the all the necessary sorting of authentic material from the fake, the cleverly repaired from the intact, and the beautiful and bold from the merely typical. And there was also the strain of negotiating deals under time constraints in a borrowed language without the benefit of second opinions or a library of books. Enough was enough.

The other side of the coin was that by the 1970’s a few African traders had long since built up enough capital, confidence and contacts both local and international to no longer be content to sit at home waiting for buyers to arrive from abroad. If Tom wasn’t going to come to Ougadougou, Ouagadougou was going to come to Manhattan; in fact many African traders were already ensconced in America- not only in single-residency-only hotels on Manhattan’s Upper West Side; a few had bought properties in suburban New Jersey and elsewhere and were raising American families. As a result, Tom was able to meet with and buy from African traders on his home turf- including individuals he had known in Burkina, their siblings, sons and other introduced family members as well as wholly new acquaintances. Inevitably, there were traders with high quality merchandise of whom Tom did not know. In the 1990’s one such merchant, a Hausa from Niger based half the year in Burkina’s western hub of Bobo Dioulasso, appeared in New York with a trove of often wonderful and unusual material including both figurative and ethnographic works. For the next several years Aboubacar Doubou provided me with a steady supply of fabulous objects from Burkina, the best of which went to Tom. A number of these pieces would ultimately be included in Tom’s marvelous book: “Burkina Faso; the Land of the Flying Masks” (Prestel, 2007). In the book’s acknowledgements and notes, Tom remained true to his decent nature and sense of fair play, and included the names of the many traders, dealers and individuals from whom he purchased material directly over the decades regardless of their place of birth or stature, among them William Wright, Michael Rhodes, Mamadou and Ali Konate, and Gilbert Ouedrago.

No remembrance of Tom would be complete without mentioning his myriad and complicated relationships with women. These included many long-term girlfriends and no less than five marriages. Tom was a dapper and confident fellow with a dry sense of humor and a generous nature. He was a charmer who listened attentively with a ready smile and a willingness to equally embrace your point enthusiastically or disagree with aplomb. He was never in my experience in want of companionship. After abruptly leaving his fourth wife and setting up with number five, a reptile aficionado from the south with big hair, he decamped from Manhattan in the late 1990’s and alighted in Hudson, New York. We city folk saw much less of him thereafter especially after the couple moved yet again, this time to Tennessee where the spouse had a daughter and now a grandchild. Marriage number five did not unfold without drama. A flood inundated their house and destroyed much of Tom’s library. A few years later the relationship dissolved on less than amicable terms, but soon enough Tom found new companionship with Jannean Barnes. It was, he confided, his happiest union to date adding, “Given my history I know what you must be thinking I’m really very sincere.”

Despite his move to Tennessee, Tom continued to communicate with his friends in New York and to pay regular visits. I shared pictures with him of family vacations and we regularly discussed objects in auctions, on offer from traders , and still others in need of evaluation- matters in which he was generally of greater service to me than the other way around. While in the city Tom stayed at the venerable Union Club where he was a long-time member. A few years ago Tom called me out of the blue to say that he and number-five were in town for the week and had extra tickets to see La Boheme at the Metropolitan Opera the following evening. Tom was a member of the Opera Club and Eve and I were cordially invited to join them for dinner and desert there between acts. There was a catch: the club had a dress code and I would have to wear a tuxedo. Given that the only suit I own is the one I was married in and that it was nowhere near black I apologized and said that we would have to gratefully decline; there was no time to find a rental. However, Tom had already done some calculations: if I could get myself over to the Union Club where he was staying I could probably just fit into his tuxedo while he would wear his set of tails. All I needed was a pair of black shoes. A number of things struck my mind all at once: that this would surely be an evening we would not soon forget, that being invited was a rare honor let alone opportunity, and finally: what kind of person travels for a week away with both a tuxedo and coat and tails? I checked with Eve and she agreed to the plan. Somehow I got past the front desk at the club in shorts and made it to Tom’s small but elegant room. Wife-five was already resplendent in an evening gown. An inordinate number of handbags and ladies shoes were scattered about, although none of he latter were as yet on her feet. Tom’s tuxedo more or less fit me- the suspenders helped. Eve arrived and we were soon in a limo bound for Lincoln Center. The trip there proved to be an odyssey in and of its self as the wife had taken the wrong handbag and half way there we had to circle back. She apologized for the inconvenience, blaming the error on some undisclosed malady. She also had us stop at a bodega (for a soda) and a pharmacy en route. Now late we had to rush through the first course of dinner. Tom’s spouse opted for lemon sherbet in lieu of an appetizer. She had sherbet again as a main course, and a third time for dessert. Tom was unflappable. He showed compassion for his ailing spouse’s well being without a hint of panic or embarrassment through the opera’s final spectacle.

Recently, I learned that Tom had passed away in his sleep shortly before Christmas. We had last spoken in the fall about some unusual Burkina masks that had come up for auction in South Carolina and whose images I had sent to Tom for an opinion. Our conversation convinced me to buy none of them. Instead, I nabbed a Bobo Fing funerary mask (one we did not discus) from the same sale as it was beyond reproach. This mask retains much of its original fiber attachments and although a little askew it’s a powerful piece with layers of paint and a glorious interior patina from repeated service. My plan was to send him images of it once I had it on a base- I was sure that he would like it and anticipated a congratulatory response. I learned of Tom’s passing before any images were taken. The mask now stands on my desk mounted, open mouthed and mute, a reminder of the many deceased individuals it honored and the one whose acquaintance it never made.

Jack Pemberton - In Memoriam Winter 2017

 Note: Jack was a great friend, cheerleader, and mentor for me for many years and he surely will be missed. His particular style, sense of civility, and generosity to all will not be replaced for the many students, colleagues, friends, and acquaintances he touched. In respect and deference to the man I will attempt to be better color coordinated when I dress up in the future.  JB


John Pemberton III (1928 - 2016)
Obituary

PELHAM - John Pemberton III of Arnold Road, Pelham, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016.

Professor Pemberton was born Feb. 16, 1928, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He was the son of the Rev. and Mrs. John Pemberton Jr.

Professor Pemberton received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1948. He received a bachelor's in divinity degree in 1952 and a doctorate degree in 1958 from the Duke University.

He was an assistant professor of religion at Randolph-Macon Woman's College from 1954 to 1958. He was a professor of religion at Amherst College from 1958 to 1998. He was the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Humanities from 1985 to 1998 and the Crosby Professor of Religion from 1975 to 1998.

His extensive research related to the art and rituals of the Yoruba of Nigeria began in 1969. He was an associate fellow at the Institute of African Studies, University Ibadan, Nigeria, from 1981 to 1982. He was a visiting research associate, Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 1986. During 14 research trips to Nigeria, his research continued in Ila Irangun, Nigeria.

Professor Pemberton served on the board of advisors at The National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution. He was consulting curator of African art at the Smith College Museum of Art from 2000 to 2015. He was chair of the Working Group in African Studies in the Humanities, Social Science Research Council/American Council of Learned Societies. He was on the

Among his publications: Yoruba Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought co-authored with
Professor Pemberton lectured widely including the Art Institute of Chicago; the Cleveland Museum; the Dallas Museum; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Mount Holyoke College; Museum for African Art, New York; the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian; North Carolina Museum of Art; Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; Rietberg Museum, Zurich; Smith College Museum of Art; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the New Orleans Museum; the Seattle Museum; the University of Iowa; University of Pennsylvania; University of Virginia; University of Washington; and Yale University.

He is survived by Jane, his beloved wife of 47 years; his sons John Pemberton IV (Marilyn) and Robert Barker (Karin); his daughters Nanci Church (Thomas), Susan Winslow (Daniel), Debra Reehoorn (Robert), and Lynn Barker (Mark); 12 grandchildren; and his sisters Barbara Smith and Jane Buckley.

He was a longtime member of Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held Dec. 8, at 3 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church followed by a reception at Lewis-Sebring at Amherst College.
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/gazettenet/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=182945490#sthash.miSbD50l.dpuf
Smithsonian/Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship Committee of African Art and on the council for International Exchange of Scholars' Advisory Committee in Religion.

Rowland Abiodun and Henry Drewal; Yoruba Art and Aesthetics with Abiodun and Drewal, Museum Rietberg, Zurich; A Power Like That of the Gods: Sacred Kingship Among the Igbomina Yoruba co-authored with F.S. Afolayan; Insight and Artistry in African Divination, Smithsonian Institution Press: Cloth Only Wears to Shreds: Yoruba Textiles and Photographs from the Beier Collection co-authored with R. Abiodun; African Beaded Art: Power and Adornment, Smith College Museum of Art; Cross Currents: Art of the Southeastern Congo, Smith College Museum of Art; "Smith Collects African Art." Exhibition on the occasion of the opening of the Brown Fine Arts Center, Smith College Museum of Art.

John Pemberton III (1928 - 2016)

Obituary

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PELHAM - John Pemberton III of Arnold Road, Pelham, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016.

Professor Pemberton was born Feb. 16, 1928, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He was the son of the Rev. and Mrs. John Pemberton Jr.

Professor Pemberton received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1948. He received a bachelor's in divinity degree in 1952 and a doctorate degree in 1958 from the Duke University.

He was an assistant professor of religion at Randolph-Macon Woman's College from 1954 to 1958. He was a professor of religion at Amherst College from 1958 to 1998. He was the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Humanities from 1985 to 1998 and the Crosby Professor of Religion from 1975 to 1998.

His extensive research related to the art and rituals of the Yoruba of Nigeria began in 1969. He was an associate fellow at the Institute of African Studies, University Ibadan, Nigeria, from 1981 to 1982. He was a visiting research associate, Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 1986. During 14 research trips to Nigeria, his research continued in Ila Irangun, Nigeria.

Professor Pemberton served on the board of advisors at The National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution. He was consulting curator of African art at the Smith College Museum of Art from 2000 to 2015. He was chair of the Working Group in African Studies in the Humanities, Social Science Research Council/American Council of Learned Societies. He was on the Smithsonian/Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship Committee of African Art and on the council for International Exchange of Scholars' Advisory Committee in Religion.

Among his publications: Yoruba Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought co-authored with Rowland Abiodun and Henry Drewal; Yoruba Art and Aesthetics with Abiodun and Drewal, Museum Rietberg, Zurich; A Power Like That of the Gods: Sacred Kingship Among the Igbomina Yoruba co-authored with F.S. Afolayan; Insight and Artistry in African Divination, Smithsonian Institution Press: Cloth Only Wears to Shreds: Yoruba Textiles and Photographs from the Beier Collection co-authored with R. Abiodun; African Beaded Art: Power and Adornment, Smith College Museum of Art; Cross Currents: Art of the Southeastern Congo, Smith College Museum of Art; "Smith Collects African Art." Exhibition on the occasion of the opening of the Brown Fine Arts Center, Smith College Museum of Art.

Professor Pemberton lectured widely including the Art Institute of Chicago; the Cleveland Museum; the Dallas Museum; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Mount Holyoke College; Museum for African Art, New York; the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian; North Carolina Museum of Art; Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; Rietberg Museum, Zurich; Smith College Museum of Art; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the New Orleans Museum; the Seattle Museum; the University of Iowa; University of Pennsylvania; University of Virginia; University of Washington; and Yale University.

He is survived by Jane, his beloved wife of 47 years; his sons John Pemberton IV (Marilyn) and Robert Barker (Karin); his daughters Nanci Church (Thomas), Susan Winslow (Daniel), Debra Reehoorn (Robert), and Lynn Barker (Mark); 12 grandchildren; and his sisters Barbara Smith and Jane Buckley.

He was a longtime member of Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held Dec. 8, at 3 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church followed by a reception at Lewis-Sebring at Amherst College.

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/gazettenet/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=182945490#sthash.miSbD50l.dpuf

PELHAM - John Pemberton III of Arnold Road, Pelham, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016.

Professor Pemberton was born Feb. 16, 1928, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He was the son of the Rev. and Mrs. John Pemberton Jr.

Professor Pemberton received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1948. He received a bachelor's in divinity degree in 1952 and a doctorate degree in 1958 from the Duke University.

He was an assistant professor of religion at Randolph-Macon Woman's College from 1954 to 1958. He was a professor of religion at Amherst College from 1958 to 1998. He was the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Humanities from 1985 to 1998 and the Crosby Professor of Religion from 1975 to 1998.

His extensive research related to the art and rituals of the Yoruba of Nigeria began in 1969. He was an associate fellow at the Institute of African Studies, University Ibadan, Nigeria, from 1981 to 1982. He was a visiting research associate, Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 1986. During 14 research trips to Nigeria, his research continued in Ila Irangun, Nigeria.

Professor Pemberton served on the board of advisors at The National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution. He was consulting curator of African art at the Smith College Museum of Art from 2000 to 2015. He was chair of the Working Group in African Studies in the Humanities, Social Science Research Council/American Council of Learned Societies. He was on the Smithsonian/Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship Committee of African Art and on the council for International Exchange of Scholars' Advisory Committee in Religion.

Among his publications: Yoruba Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought co-authored with Rowland Abiodun and Henry Drewal; Yoruba Art and Aesthetics with Abiodun and Drewal, Museum Rietberg, Zurich; A Power Like That of the Gods: Sacred Kingship Among the Igbomina Yoruba co-authored with F.S. Afolayan; Insight and Artistry in African Divination, Smithsonian Institution Press: Cloth Only Wears to Shreds: Yoruba Textiles and Photographs from the Beier Collection co-authored with R. Abiodun; African Beaded Art: Power and Adornment, Smith College Museum of Art; Cross Currents: Art of the Southeastern Congo, Smith College Museum of Art; "Smith Collects African Art." Exhibition on the occasion of the opening of the Brown Fine Arts Center, Smith College Museum of Art.

Professor Pemberton lectured widely including the Art Institute of Chicago; the Cleveland Museum; the Dallas Museum; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Mount Holyoke College; Museum for African Art, New York; the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian; North Carolina Museum of Art; Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; Rietberg Museum, Zurich; Smith College Museum of Art; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the New Orleans Museum; the Seattle Museum; the University of Iowa; University of Pennsylvania; University of Virginia; University of Washington; and Yale University.

He is survived by Jane, his beloved wife of 47 years; his sons John Pemberton IV (Marilyn) and Robert Barker (Karin); his daughters Nanci Church (Thomas), Susan Winslow (Daniel), Debra Reehoorn (Robert), and Lynn Barker (Mark); 12 grandchildren; and his sisters Barbara Smith and Jane Buckley.

He was a longtime member of Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/gazettenet/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=182945490#sthash.6sM2swCd.dpuf

PELHAM - John Pemberton III of Arnold Road, Pelham, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016.

Professor Pemberton was born Feb. 16, 1928, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He was the son of the Rev. and Mrs. John Pemberton Jr.

Professor Pemberton received a bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1948. He received a bachelor's in divinity degree in 1952 and a doctorate degree in 1958 from the Duke University.

He was an assistant professor of religion at Randolph-Macon Woman's College from 1954 to 1958. He was a professor of religion at Amherst College from 1958 to 1998. He was the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Humanities from 1985 to 1998 and the Crosby Professor of Religion from 1975 to 1998.

His extensive research related to the art and rituals of the Yoruba of Nigeria began in 1969. He was an associate fellow at the Institute of African Studies, University Ibadan, Nigeria, from 1981 to 1982. He was a visiting research associate, Ife, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 1986. During 14 research trips to Nigeria, his research continued in Ila Irangun, Nigeria.

Professor Pemberton served on the board of advisors at The National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution. He was consulting curator of African art at the Smith College Museum of Art from 2000 to 2015. He was chair of the Working Group in African Studies in the Humanities, Social Science Research Council/American Council of Learned Societies. He was on the Smithsonian/Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship Committee of African Art and on the council for International Exchange of Scholars' Advisory Committee in Religion.

Among his publications: Yoruba Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought co-authored with Rowland Abiodun and Henry Drewal; Yoruba Art and Aesthetics with Abiodun and Drewal, Museum Rietberg, Zurich; A Power Like That of the Gods: Sacred Kingship Among the Igbomina Yoruba co-authored with F.S. Afolayan; Insight and Artistry in African Divination, Smithsonian Institution Press: Cloth Only Wears to Shreds: Yoruba Textiles and Photographs from the Beier Collection co-authored with R. Abiodun; African Beaded Art: Power and Adornment, Smith College Museum of Art; Cross Currents: Art of the Southeastern Congo, Smith College Museum of Art; "Smith Collects African Art." Exhibition on the occasion of the opening of the Brown Fine Arts Center, Smith College Museum of Art.

Professor Pemberton lectured widely including the Art Institute of Chicago; the Cleveland Museum; the Dallas Museum; the High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Mount Holyoke College; Museum for African Art, New York; the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian; North Carolina Museum of Art; Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; Rietberg Museum, Zurich; Smith College Museum of Art; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the New Orleans Museum; the Seattle Museum; the University of Iowa; University of Pennsylvania; University of Virginia; University of Washington; and Yale University.

He is survived by Jane, his beloved wife of 47 years; his sons John Pemberton IV (Marilyn) and Robert Barker (Karin); his daughters Nanci Church (Thomas), Susan Winslow (Daniel), Debra Reehoorn (Robert), and Lynn Barker (Mark); 12 grandchildren; and his sisters Barbara Smith and Jane Buckley.

He was a longtime member of Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/gazettenet/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=182945490#sthash.6sM2swCd.dpuf

Trend Predictions Winter 2017

1. NEW YORK - Specialists Speak: 2017 Trends & Predictions in Collecting

This year was a pivotal one for the art and auction world. Saatchi Gallery held its first all-female

show in January. David Bowie’s death rendered him one of the most talked-about artists of the year. May was a game-changing month for rare jewels - the 14.62-carat “Oppenheimer Blue” diamond sold for $57.5 million at Christie’s; at Sotheby’s, the 15.38-carat “Unique Pink” diamond sold for $31.6 million.

The news of the Brexit vote in late June caught the world by surprise, and caused a rippling of concerns across stakeholding nations. In October, TEFAF journeyed to New York City for the first time ever. The sale of Claude Monet’s “Grainstack” for $81.4 million in November underscored that even in an uncertain market, collectors will vie at the top level for superior quality.

We spoke with the founders and head specialists at 14 of our partnering auction houses and galleries to get their thoughts on the most exciting trends of 2016 and what they forecast to be the next big ones to come.

Debrah Dunner
Fine Art Specialist | Alex Cooper
"The trends in 2016 have been pretty consistent from the previous year, and I don't see much change happening in 2017. Collectors are focusing their efforts on a few areas including Impressionism, Post-War, and Contemporary Art. Although this year saw a small drop in buying overall, there is enough trust in the market, coupled with the rise of the American stock and housing market, to predict a continued rise in both confidence and buying."

"As a specialist of contemporary American craft, I have noticed a small uptick in both buying and realized prices of American craft's most notable artists such as Wendell Castle, Sheila Hicks, and Peter Voulkos, to name a few. The gallery side is where American craft really shines, so it's interesting to see this area of the art world get more attention in the auction venue."
François Tajan

Deputy Chairman | Artcurial
“Fine art, design, classic cars, and comics appear to have been the most exciting specialties for 2016. Artcurial achieved a world record for a collectible car at auction this winter, which fetched €32 million, and our second European comics auction in Hong Kong in October was a huge success.”

“This year’s important names, such as Diego Giacometti, Belgian cartoonist Hergé, and Enzo Ferrari, show there’s an active market not only for specific fields, but also for the artists and designers’ whose impact goes beyond their respective specialty. I expect this trend to continue in 2017, as collectors show particular interest in 20th-century works.”

Sam Berkovitz
Owner | Concept Art Gallery
“In 2017, I predict we’ll see continued growth and strong sales for the Chinese fine and decorative arts markets, with much of the property returning to Chinese nationals and the expatriate Chinese.”

“Online bidding continues to grow in percentage of lots purchased and amount of revenue. This will further reduce the live attendees at auctions as bidders adopt the convenience of telephone and online bidding.”

“Modern and contemporary art before 2005 will continue to sell strongly, while traditional furniture and artwork continue to remain flat. Artwork by artists without substantial credentials and reputations will remain difficult to sell. Jewelry sales will continue to grow as buyers get more comfortable buying at auction. Auctions will gain an increasingly large segment of the overall market for jewelry.”

Ezra Chowaiki
Owner | Chowaiki & Co.
“In the secondary art market, people are tending to focus on blue chip artists. In terms of investment, a name like Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, or Gerhard Richter is much more comforting than the lesser-known artist. In fact, even contemporary collectors are looking backward now to include some of the great modern names in their collections.”

"I expect this trend for the secondary market to continue. Until we truly know what the world looks like once the political landscape stabilizes, collectors are going to feel a certain level of uncertainty. This is not a short-term issue."

"I expect this to continue throughout 2017; and so, I see more of the same gravitational pull towards tried-and-true investments. Therefore, big-name artists will continue to appreciate most dramatically."

Alasdair Nichol
Vice Chairman, Head of Fine Art | Freeman's
“In a year of political turbulence which saw both the Brexit vote and U.S. election, it was evident that many people were sitting tight and reluctant to sell. The most recent Modern/Impressionist and Contemporary auctions in New York City were almost 50 percent down from where they were at this time last year. The issue this year was a lack of supply. There was abundant demand for sensibly estimated artworks of good quality preferably coming fresh to the market - the best will always be aggressively pursued even in a down market.”

“Single owner collections with either an interesting provenance or compelling backstory - and preferably both - performed exceptionally well at all price points. Sotheby’s David Bowie auction is a notable example of that. Such sales have the added benefit of bringing out new bidders captivated by the abundant stories surrounding them and desirous of the lustre attached to the previous owner.”

“Looking ahead, confidence in the Old Masters market has taken a blow and will continue to be undermined by the gradually unfolding story of the fakes believed to originate from Italy - the purchaser of the “Portrait of a Man” attributed to Frans Hals sold by private treaty at Sotheby's has already been reimbursed $11 million or so that it cost him. About 20 to 25 other fakes are rumored to be in existence and this will cast a shadow. It will likely be one of the art world’s biggest stories.”

“On a more positive note, it has been a good year for modern British artists from Nicholson and Moore to School of London painters such as Auerbach and Hockney. Collecting areas such as the St. Ives School and the Scottish Colorists have also performed well. Many new American collectors are entering this field and it is likely that even more will join them given the favorable dollar to sterling exchange rate. In spite of the political upheaval, the special relationship will endure.”

Nicholas B. Nicholson
Senior Vice President, Head of Furniture & Decorative Arts | Freeman's
"In quarter four, we continued to see consistent growth in prices realized for 20th-century design including continued strong performance by George Nakashima. We also see solid performance in the field of Americana with fresh pieces bringing solid prices."

"Since last spring, we have noted quiet growth in English furniture and silver. There appears to be the beginning of a renewed interest in the field, no doubt spurred by good material and the current low prices."

Lauren Pressler
Specialist in Furniture & Decorative Arts | Clars Auction Gallery
"As we found at Clars in 2016, 20th-century studio furniture remains strong; George Nakashima, Philip Lloyd Powell, and Sam Maloof continue to increase in value with projected market escalation in 2017. Contemporary boutique designers such as Edward Barnsley and Hal Taylor enjoy the popularity of these trend setters. While mid-range ‘brown furniture’ continues to slump, definitively, buyer inclinations underscore the handmade, smartly crafted one-off studio furniture that conveys a sense of character."

"Keep your sights on specialty wine and automobile markets, as last year’s strong successes predicate fruitful growth in 2017, with a roll-call of great producers and private collections slated for the New Year."

"2017 is a great time to invest in 20th-century Indian, Iranian, and African-American artists. Just this October, Clars boasted the $10,890 sale of an oil painting by Iranian artist Abolghassem Saidi, far exceeding the $3,000-5,000 estimate. We see leading houses gearing up for these specialized auctions, setting precedents for the rest of the industry."

Mike Fredericks
Department Head, Rare Lamps & Glass | James D. Julia
“Collectors today continue to seek out conservatively estimated, fresh-to-the-market merchandise, and are focused on the most rare and best condition examples in each genre. Our most recent auction of November 2016 illustrates this point, with a Tiffany Studios Dragonfly lamp estimated at $120,000-180,000 being hotly contested among multiple bidders before selling for $515,475. Each category, be it French cameo glass or sterling silver, proved the same, with the rarest and best condition items exceeding estimates to result in a $3.3 million total, our department’s highest grossing sale in history.”

“As we come to the end of the year, there seems to be encouraging energy in the collector community with hope that the election results will have a positive impact on the current market values and free up more discretionary income for middle-market buyers.”

“I believe the high-end market will continue to stay strong in 2017, while middle-market goods may continue to be soft until the political environment and economy stabilize following the transition. Overall, sellers should embrace the concept of conservative estimates that garner enthusiasm and participation from today’s buyers. I also see upward momentum with contemporary glass market with strong prices being realized.”

Charlotte Riordan
Contemporary Art & Paintings Specialist | Lyon & Turnbull
"Post War and Contemporary art still remains the most active area of the market. They are our best attended and buzziest sales and have some of our strongest selling rates. In the age of internet and telephone bidding, a full sale room is always a pleasant sight!"

"The Bowie sale inevitably made a big impact on the art market, and I believe was good news for collectors of modern Scottish artists including John Bellany, Alan Davie, and Eduardo Paolozzi, who were featured prominently in his collection. We handle these artists frequently and while we have been witnessing an upturn in the sales of their work, Bowie’s seal of approval may gain them even wider recognition."

"In the antiques world, we’ve been noticing our client’s taste turning to more simply constructed furniture. They are paying more attention to form and line rather than ornamentation, which fits better in modern interiors. Early Georgian pieces are an example of this."

"We end the year on a high with our flagship Scottish Paintings and Sculpture sale which features select works from the 18th to the 20th century. The work of the Scottish Colorists is proving as popular as ever and we anticipate them being the sale highlights, continuing the excellent run we’ve had for them this year after our sale of the Wood and Robertson Collections in June."

"On that topic, though a good or interesting provenance has always been desirable, we’re noticing an increase in its effect across all of our sales, boosting values more than ever before. People seem to be engaging more with the story behind the pieces as well as the quality."

Nigel Freeman
Director of African-American Fine Art | Swann Auction Galleries
“There is a new embrace by collectors of politically-conscious fine art, a reflection of our turbulent times, whether it's art from the Civil Rights era or today. This can be seen at the upcoming exhibitions of the Whitney Biennial and ‘Soul of a Nation’ at the Tate.”

“The next big thing in 2017 should be a larger international embrace of African- and Latin-American currents as American art continues to be redefined.”

Daile Kaplan
Director of Photography & Photobooks | Swann Auction Galleries

“Given photography’s ubiquity today, we are seeing an increasingly diverse market of collectors. Typically, new collectors are attracted to a particular image or style and are anxious to learn more about the artist or photographer. These buyers are drawn from a range of fields, including American painting, contemporary art, Outsider and Folk art, graphic arts and design, and antiquarian books.”

“Condition, rarity, provenance and artist reputation drive collectors and influence their decisions. The best examples of fine art and social documentary photographs - both vintage and modern prints with a fascinating backstory - as well as dynamically designed photobooks by master and emerging artists will escalate in value. Vernacular photography, a sub-set of classical photography, will continue to attract younger collectors, especially those who are looking for a point of access into the market and enjoy the sense of discovery associated with images that celebrate the medium as a universal language.”

Edo Ophir
Owner | Ophir Gallery
"The top trend that we are seeing today in the field of art, antiques, collectibles, and jewelry is that the top tier of these categories is what’s continuing to sell well in the marketplace. Truly the best and highest quality objects are what seems to be holding their own. Marginal and mediocre objects in the marketplace have taken a significant hit as per salability."

"Collectors today are more sophisticated than they once were and tend to be investing their money into top tier or very high end as these trends show that there is stability and growth in pricing with those items that fall under high end or investment quality. In the realm of Tiffany Studios, which is one area in which we specialize, we are seeing fewer buyers for the general run of the mill…but when we are able to offer top tier, rare, and high end objects to our collectors, we tend to sell well and fast."

Amelia Jeffers
Auctioneer & President | Garth's & Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers
“Although we handle a broad range of material at Garth's and Selkirk, each auction house tends to have a niche or two for which they are known very well. At Garth's, it is Americana, antique firearms, and jewelry. The firearms market continues to be very strong, and the exuberance does not seem to be slipping in any way. Within the Americana market, Folk art items continue to have considerable interest, particularly early painted furniture, but redware and stoneware are also on fire.”

“Since fine jewelry covers commodities like gold, silver, and gemstones, it has the image of being a safe place for collectors to park their cash. Even as the economy has picked up, jewelry has remained a bright spot in the collecting world. At Selkirk, bidders get excited about good paintings, high-style decorative arts, and silver. The demand for each of these categories is deep and should continue well into 2017.”

“Period furniture should continue its steady climb back from the recession bottom as more and more people matriculate to collecting as a way to find greater value in their furnishings. Glass is continuing to climb, as well - with the very best art glass pulling into the forefront of auctions and shows. I do think the firearms, jewelry, and fine art markets have no slow down in the near term.”


Jenn Singer
Owner | Jenn Singer Gallery
“While figurative painting continues to make a much-welcomed return, colorful abstract and sculptural work is still in demand. Activist artwork and artwork by female artists and artists with diverse cultural backgrounds are being increasingly featured and sought after.”

“Given the current social and political climate, art with a voice – a strong activist message - is and will continue to be on the rise. It will be gritty, raw, and emotional and hopefully help engage and connect more people through art. In this case, the importance of the message may trump the market as we know it.”

Sandra Germain
Owner | Shannon's Fine Art Auctioneers

“We have seen increased interest in high quality illustration art from our clients. In our most recent auction in October 2016, one of our top performing lots was a group of 25 original illustrations of vintage automobiles by Thomas Hoyne. Hoyne is primarily known for his photo-realistic illustrations of sailing vessels. We had several interested clients before the sale and were thrilled when the final price doubled the high estimate, bringing $32,400.”

“Another popular item from the sale was John James Audubon's ‘Portrait of Miss Audubon.’ Few portraits are known by the famous wildlife illustrator, including this portrait of his daughter. It, too, sold well above the high estimate, bringing $19,200. Although this work is not an illustration, artists of the illustration genre brought healthy interest at our most auction.”

“Trends are constantly changing and it’s hard to know exactly what buyers will be looking at in 2017. Modern and Contemporary art is certainly dominating the market and will probably continue to do so in the near future. We have found, however, that quality paintings across all genres achieve the best results at auction. Buyers are looking for fresh-to-the-market, good condition, and superior quality examples.”

Holly Mazar-Fox & Linda Rodeck
Client Services & Business Development
Senior Canadian Fine Art Specialist, Vice President Fine Art
Waddington's Auctioneers & Appraisers
“A few years back, you might have heard collectors, dealers, and auctioneers lamenting the fact that the supply of great art was drying up. The talk was that there was increasingly less fresh blue chip work available to sell and auctions would eventually devolve into re-offering or ‘churning’ bought-ins and other stale stock. Clearly that prediction was erroneous.”

“In Canada, the fall 2016 auction season saw over $50 million change hands in a three-day period. This was unprecedented. And we know that great prices realized at auction serve as honey to the bee, drawing out long hidden treasures ripe for consignment. Across the board, at all prices levels: quality always rules.”

“We’re also witnessing an increasing openness to subjects, periods, and media that may have been overlooked in the past. There is a greater appetite for the atypical or off-trend, provided these items possess a high calibre of artistic competence. This openness makes us feel buoyant about the next quarter."

"Our clients are increasingly catholic in their taste, exhibiting a high degree of self-determination when it comes to collecting and acquiring across multiple categories. They have both a willingness and capacity to spend and they respond to the bounty of property we bring to them with an enthusiasm and exhilaration we haven't seen in some time. We’re obsessed about how to improve the auction experience and know that leveraging technology is key – our prediction is that this pull towards innovation will continue to strengthen in 2017!”

http://www.invaluable.com/blog/specialists-speak-2017-trends-and-predictions/