Auction Details
GLENBOW’S FIRST NATIONS COLLECTIONS - MUSEUM STATEMENT
The Glenbow Museum originated as the private collection of Eric L. Harvie, a Calgary lawyer and businessman. Harvie came into his fortune when oil was discovered in 1947 on land near Leduc and Redwater, Alberta, where he held the mineral rights. This new-found wealth enabled him to pursue his passion for collecting art, artifacts, books and manuscripts. Harvie was keen to collect material that reflected the cultures and history of southern Alberta and he developed an extensive
collection of artifacts that tell the fascinating story of Aboriginal peoples, frontier exploration and life in Western Canada. He also felt that it was important to acquire items from across the globe in order to understand local material within a broader, human context. Eventually, he amassed a huge museum collection that also included artifacts and art from Asia, West Africa, South America and the Pacific Islands.
In 1966 Eric Harvie donateed his impressive and eclectic collection to the people of Alberta in honour of Canada’s centennial. Over the past 60 years, Glenbow’s collections have continued to grow and we have become one of Canada’s largest
museums.
As part of the prudent and professional management of our extensive collections, we critically review the quality of our
collections and evaluate how we store and care for them. This ongoing assessment allows us to fulfill our mandate that the museum’s collections stay relevant and widely available to Albertans and beyond. After examining the collections and internal and external reviews, we discovered numerous duplications and some items with limited or no provenance. Now, in collaboration with Hodgins Art Auctions Ltd., we are offering a selection of North American First Nations material for public purchase.
The proceeds from the sale of these artifacts will be placed in a fund, managed by the provincial government for the benefit of Alberta’s historic resources. With the province’s agreement, the Glenbow will use the money to enhance its collections in the future.
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