Mr Geoffrey Shafer (b.1934)

Geoffrey Shafer qualified as an electrical engineer and worked for the Department of Civil Aviation for a short period from 1968 to 1970. In June 1970 he was sent on a trip to Balgo Hills and Gibb River to install non-directional beacons for commercial aircraft. This trip involved camping out and sleeping under the stars. Their camp was located near the Gibb River Station, and they were only there for approximately ten days. On the last day, an Aborigine walked into their camp and presented Mr Shafer with the painting. He was unsure why it was given to him, possibly because of the respect he showed the Aborigines during his short stay. Shortly after this, Mr Shafer left the DCA, moving to Perth and then Port Hedland, where he bought a boarding-house/back-packers.

Acquired by the present owner from from the above by private treaty via Leonard Joel, Melbourne in 2015

Natural earth pigments on eucalyptus bark, housed in a custom made aluminium support. Please note there is fraying to the bark, especially around the edges, and small cracks near the lower left and right hand corners and and a larger crack in the bottom right quadrant approx. 8 cm long and in the left hand quadrant near the middle approx. 15 cm long and another minor crack to the right hand side approximately 10cm long. There are multiple areas of pigment loss throughout the paint surface, all visible in catalogue image, and consistent with age. However, overall the pigments appear to be stable. Antiques Conservation Australia recently consolidated some areas where the bark was fraying and prepared a custom made aluminium mount.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Cf. For similar works by the artist see I.M. Crawford, The Art of the Wandjina, Western Australia Museum, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1968, pp. 25-27; Tom McCourt, Aboriginal Artefacts, Rigby Press Australia, Adelaide, 1975, pp. 48, 52-53; Kim Akerman, Wanjina: Notes on some Iconic Ancestral Beings of the Northern Kimberley, Hesperian Press, Western Australia, 2016, p. 54 Charlie Numbulmore’s paintings of Wanjina figures are instantly recognisable to most collectors or students of pre-1980s Kimberley indigenous art. His original distinctive style of Wanjina painting was first recorded by Western Australian Museum anthropologist, Ian Crawford (Crawford 1968: 25-27). In early 1970, anthropologist Helen Groger-Wurm commissioned works by Charlie by on behalf of, the then, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies. These paintings are now part of the National Estate.

In the 1970s Numbulmore added mouths to many of his paintings - a feature recorded by collector Tom McCourt (McCourt 1975: 48, 52-53). McCourt visited the central Kimberley in 1971 and purchased a number of paintings, on stone, plywood and cardboard, depicting Wanjina and other beings that Charlie had painted.

Most of the works by Numbulmore that have appeared in the market are from his late phase and are usually painted with mouths - and teeth! (Akerman 2016:54)

It is refreshing to see that these two fine wanjina paintings collected in 1970, are from Numbulmore's 'pre-McCourt influenced' phase, and rather than being painted on paper, cardboard or wood, are painted on bark. Virtually all other Numbulmore bark paintings are only to be found in art galleries or museums.

Unusually also, both paintings are placed on a ground of yellow ochre, rather than the usual white background. This suggests that the paintings were executed at about the same time. That a different collector each acquired one painting within an apparently very short space of time, and before the McCourt induced style shift occurred, is a truly serendipitous set of events.

Charlie’s Wanjina figures are readily identifiable. These paintings show head and shoulders with details added in red and black. In the centre of the chest a solid, black oval form is said to depict the sternum/heart or a pearl shell pendant The almost circular heads are surrounded by a very regular, tripartite halo that represents a headdress (and also may be interpreted as hair with clouds and lightning or rain emanating outwards. Raindrops (kulingki) are shown as a series of regular stippled dots that enclose the whole bust.

The large round, black eyes fringed with short, delicate lashes occupy a greater proportion of the head in Numbulmore’s Wanjinas than in those painted by other artists. Similarly the well-defined, long narrow parallel-sided noses, flared at the very tip and with the nostrils depicted are features unique to Numbulmore's style. In other Wanjinas found in cave art, or painted by other recent artists, the nose is usually shown as an elongated, ovate with the tip filled in with solid colour. In other instances it is simply a blob of colour separating the eyes.

These paintings, collected in 1970 and included in this sale, must be considered to represent the works of Charlie Numbulmore at his best.

Charlie Numbulmore died in the later months of 1971.

KA