Australia, Pacific, Asia
TIMED AUCTION 12noon Sunday 27th April 2025
The Library of the late Bill Evans (1946-2024)
Renowned Sydney antique rug and tribal art dealer, Bill Evans, was born in Minneapolis in 1946. After graduating magna cum laude in History from the University of Minnesota, Bill’s interest in the history and cultures of the world inspired him to travel widely in his 20s, visiting Thailand, Bali, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan where he would live for four years. It was here that his love and knowledge of the rugs from this region was born and would develop into his future business.
Following a trip to Australia, Bill decided to make Sydney his next home, opening the Caspian Gallery on Oxford Street, Paddington, in the early 1980s, dealing in exceptional antique rugs. The business naturally broadened to include Oceanic, Asian and tribal art and artefacts thanks to the interests he developed through the relationships he built with enthusiastic collectors and scholars in the field. He became a respected and leading dealer and expert, corresponding with international dealers, collectors and academics on these subjects and selling to important private collections and public institutions around the world. Bill was a founding member of the Oceanic Art Society which was established in 1996 and became the Australian representative of international publication, Tribal Art magazine.
Throughout his career Bill would build his own exceptional personal collection of antique rugs, textiles and artefacts, acquiring and deaccessioning items to refine and develop the collection over time, eventually focusing particularly on shields from New Guinea, Borneo, Asia and Australia. In 2019 he published the magnificent two-volume War Art & Ritual: Shields from the Pacific centred around his museum-quality collection, with essays and contributions from some of the most respected curators and experts in the field. For the last two years of his life he had been dedicated to producing a second War, Art & Ritual publication dedicated to the shields of Queensland. Despite his untimely passing in 2024, Bill’s daughter, Sabina and the contributing authors hope to complete this passion project and to publish it posthumously, honouring his lifelong legacy.
Bill’s library is testament to a tireless passion for learning and understanding and the endless pursuit of knowledge by a true polymath. He read widely on many subjects, diving deeply into them by sourcing rare and interesting academic and historical texts from around the world and by studying museum collections and archives. He was incredibly generous with his knowledge and would undoubtedly be pleased to know that his extensive library will now pass on to many passionate readers and collectors around the world.
Text by Francesca Cavazzini
When 12 noon Sunday 27th April
Catalogue https://connect.invaluable.com/sydneybook/
Timed Auction
Viewing is encouraged
Questions welcomed
Our office is located at Dalgety Square at –
C11/372-428 Wattle Street, Ultimo. We are on the corner of MacArthur with theentrance on Wattle Street. We are opened between 10am and 5pm week days.
Absentee bids email by 3pm on Thursday 24th April.
Questions Call or email by 3pm on Thursday 24th April.
