Fancy a woolly mammoth fossilized tooth; sculptured walrus tusk or museum-quality human skull? This could be the auction for you . .

picture courtesy of http://www.turtlewill.org/

The estate sale of beloved Potts Point philanthropist, Lillian Hoffman (1924-2010) is up for auction and if you take a read of the release below, she was quite the acquirer of some amazing dust collectors . . . .

"Lillian Hoffman may have lived in Sydney for only a decade yet she managed to create a lasting impression and leave quite a legacy, becoming a well-loved local in her adopted suburb of Potts Point.
A woman who lived a thousand lives, Lillian was raised in the small Michigan town of Three Oaks, which her wealthy parents all but owned. Her family’s money allowed her to indulge her passion for collecting and travelling from an early age, perhaps inspired by her grandfather who set up a museum filled primarily with Native American artifacts.
Lillian recalled combing the shores near the family’s Lake Michigan home
looking for Indian wampum (shell beads used as currency) while the other kids were out swimming.
Lillian achieved some remarkable feats for a woman of her generation including a black belt in jujitsu. She was also an avid scuba diver well into her seventies and pursued her sport in the waters surrounding her own island in Fiji. Her interest in natural history resulted in an extraordinary collection of shells, fossils and mineral specimens which, together with her vast collection of artifacts, filled her Rockwall Apartments residence. Originally intending to bequeath the collection to a museum she planned to establish back in her home town, she ultimately left it to be sold at auction with the proceeds to be divided between two local Australian charities.
Lillian will be remembered as much for her generosity and philanthropy as for her collection. She believed it was the obligation of all travellers to engage with the local people and put money back into the community, conscientiously buying local handicrafts to help them carry on their traditions.
When visiting the nomadic Tuareg in the Sahara she bought virtually everything they make, including a leather camel saddle, saddlebags, tribal
jewellery and even a bed.
An impulsive collector, Lillian once spotted a family of 18th century
Burmese wooden temple elephants for sale in a local Potts Point gallery. Despite the $60,0000 price tag she insisted on having them immediately, causing quite a stir as eight men carried them up busy Macleay Street to her apartment.
The extraordinary array of antique ivory is a highlight of the collection, including several sculpted walrus tusks, a 19th century parasol,
a collection of Japanese netsuke, a large selection of 19th
century American whalebone utensils, and a fossilised woolly
mammoth tooth.
Fond of shocking her visitors, Lillian had a penchant for collecting
human skulls, including several museum-quality ancestor skulls from New Guinea. Other highlights of the collection include early African artifacts, Nok sculptures from antiquity (2000 years before present), early New Guinea artifacts, Inuit art and ivory sculpture, a diverse collection of Australian Aboriginal art and interesting communist propaganda material from Russia and China.
This incredibly diverse collection is a reflection of the life and intrepid adventures of a remarkable lady. It must be sold and presents an excellent opportunity to acquire interesting and unique pieces across a broad price spectrum, with some bargains definitely likely to be picked up.
The collection will be available to view at Galerie Finn, 23 Bay Street, Double Bay, from 15 July. The auction will be held on Sunday 1st August 2010.
All auction enquiries to Guy Earl-Smi th tel. 02 9326 1028 or email guy@guyearlsmith.com.au or Adrienne Carlson at adrienne@carlsons.com.au