c.1957-59 -
Igor Kopytoff (1930–2013), Philadelphia, PA, collected in Angola during fieldwork [1]
William A. McCarty-Cooper (1936–1991), Los Angeles, CA; estate of William A. McCarty-Cooper [2]
1992/05/19
In auction of "Important Tribal Art and Antiquities from the Collection of William A. McCarty-Cooper" at Christie's, New York, The William A. McCarty-Cooper Collection, 19 May 1992, lot 166 [3]
1992 - 2024
Private collection, USA, purchased from the estate of William A. McCarty-Cooper [4]
2024 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from a private collection through Kloman Art (Susan Kloman), Brooklyn, NY [5]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is the May 19, 1992 Christie's auction catalogue. Igor Kopytoff is listed under provenance for this mask ["Important Tribal Art and Antiquities from the Collection of William A. McCarty-Cooper." Christie's, New York, May 19, 1992, lot no. 166].
[1] Igor Kopytoff conducted fieldwork in southwestern Congo from 1957-59, southern Ivory Coast in 1964, and western Cameroon in 1969 and 1971 [Igor Kopytoff CV on University of Pennsylvania website https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~kopytoff/, accessed February 15, 2024].
[2] It is unclear how McCarty-Cooper acquired the mask. McCarty-Cooper attended the University of Pennsylvania studying architecture during Kopytoff's dissertation research. McCarty-Cooper was adopted by collector Douglas Cooper in 1972, and following Copper's death in 1984, McCarty-Cooper inherited Cooper's collection.
[3] The mask appeared in the 1992 Christie's auction - see the auction catalogue ["Important Tribal Art and Antiquities from the Collection of William A. McCarty-Cooper." Christie's, New York, May 19, 1992, lot no. 166].
[4] In an email to Amy Clark on February 15, 2024, Susan Kloman, acting as agent for the private collection, identified "the mask was sold in a private sale just after the auction. The private collection is located in the US" [SLAM document files].
[5] Invoice dated March 14, 2024 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, March 25, 2024.
