Fiji Basket-Hook or ililili Ex Ohly, London

Provenance: Ex William & Ernest Ohly, Berkeley Galleries, 20 Davies Street, London W1Y 1LH.London (1942-1977); by descent.

​​​​​​​William Ohly was born to a German-Jewish family in Kingston upon Hull, England, in 1883 before moving to Germany for his education. Fleeing rising anti-Semitism in 1933–1934, he relocated to London, where he became a pivotal figure in the art world. He established the Berkeley Galleries in 1941, showcasing ethnographic and contemporary works by artists, including Henry Moore, Vanessa Bell, and Frances Hodgkins; subsequently, in 1946, he founded the Abbey Art Centre, just outside London, supporting refugees and emerging artists.

Literature: See photos Berkeley Galleries and William Ohly