Famous Black Collection

Of Artifacts

But Unique Papuan Figure Is Not In It

THE writer of the article, “Strange Artifacts of Old Papua,” Mr. Lyons, will be interested in a communication we have had from Mr. Black, the well known Burns Philp Head Office executive, who is a son of the late Mr. P. G. Black.

The latter was responsible for the famous Black Collection of Island artifacts.

Mr. Lyons remarked that the queer figure found in the bed of the Giriwu River, Buna-Yodda Valley, Papua, some 50 years ago, passed into the possession of Mr. P. G. Black, and was lost sight of.

Mr. Black says that the figure referred to was not included in the Black Col lection, but is now in his personal possession, at his home in Sydney.

Museums, anthropologists, etc., should take note. That is the most interesting relic of an ancient race yet found in Papua.

The late Mr. Black many years ago, offered his famous Collection to an Aus tralian or British museum for nothing, if they would house it; but, because it re quired so much space, they all fought shy of it. It finally was sold to the Buffalo Museum, in the United States, where—as shown in the photographs it has been well housed and effectively displayed.

The Collection came from practically every island of the South Pacific. It is probably unique, because the late Mr.

Black refused to accept any artifact unless he was sure it was genuine native crafts manship, unaffected in any wav by Euro pean contacts. Most of the Collection was assembled over 50 years ago. It was con tained in more that 60 large cases. A copy of the catalogue of the Collection is in the Pacific Islands Monthly library.