Tribal Art Pieces Arrive at Peabody For African Exhibit

Harvard's Peabody Museum, which holds one of the country's six major collections of anthropological materials, received a 64-plece collection of African and Pacific Island art late Tuesday afternoon, Stephen Williams '62. director of the museum said yesterday.

The collection, premised to the University in 1960 by Donald Deskey, contains carved figures, sculptures, masks and bowls, all between 50 and 100 years old. Fran B. Silverman, the Peabody Museum registrar, said yesterday.

Williams said he could not disclose the value of the collection nor could he say why Deskey donated it.

"The worth of the collection is between Mr. Deskey and the IRS." Williams said, "I think it is enough to say this gift is a fine representation of African art and it fills our collection of African sculpture."

The Museum will probably display the collection early next fall, Williams said. He said Babatunde Lawal. Nigerian visiting lecturer in West African art and culture, may use the collection in his West African art course.

Lawal could not be reached for comment.

Most of the collection's pieces come from West African tribal groups, Silverman said. She said the collection contained several new pieces from the Yoruba tribes and several additions to the Warega and Bakota collections.

Although the collection is composed primarily of African art, Silverman said it also includes several pieces from the pacific Islands of New Guinea and New Ireland.