Big art theft in Auckland

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33610, 12 August 1974, Page 14

Big art theft in Auckland

< Vew Zealand Preu Aeioctation) AUCKLAND. August 11. A priceless solid-gold honeycomb sculpture and irreplaceable Maori artefacts have been stolen from an Auckland millionaire art collector, Mr George Wooler, a retired industrialist.

The theft of the sculpture and about 50 artefacts (alone worth a total of $400,000) was discovered yesterday w hen Mr Wooler and his chauffeur visited his roof-top apartment-mu-seum in Remuera. It is believed to be New Zealand’s biggest art theft—which Auckland detectives said today was the work of professional thieves, and hinted that international criminals could be involved. The method of entry was not known, and house-to-house inquiries showed that nothing suspicious had been seen in the vicinity of the apartment. The thieves appeared to have carefully selected the

. items they took. They would ; , be almost impossible to sell either in New Zealand or in • Australia. ’ INTERPOL ALERTED ' Museums and major art I galleries throughout the 5 world have been informed, and Interpol alerted. Speaking with difficulty i (he is still recovering from a stroke) Mr Wooler said todav ' that the artefacts were ir- ’ replaceable, and the sculp- ’ ture priceless. ’ He had intended giving the ' artefacts, all rare pre-Euro--1 pean items, to the Auckland ' War Memorial Museum, he i said. Frequently resorting to the use of pen and paper to answer questions, Mr Wooler said he first realised something was amiss when he i entered his study at the apartment and noticed that

the honeycomb sculpture, displayed on a shelf, had gone. He had made quick inventory and found that the artefacts, usually kept in drawers, had been taken, too. Mr Wooler was convinced of a connection between a breaking-in at the apartment and the theft, although nothing was taken on the first occasion. “They (the burglars) must have taken notice of the surroundings. They must have known the value of the Maori artefacts,” he said. “There were other valuable objects of art untouched, and some very valuable paintings and sculptures were left.” The paintings included a Rodin work, “The Hand.” “NOT EASY TO SELL” Mr Wooler said that the thieves must have been looking for the Maori artefacts, “I could hardly believe they were all gone,” he said. It was a great blow. He agreed with the police theory that the theft was the work of professionals, and said that there had been a lot of talk lately about Maori artefacts. But they would not be easy to sell, he said. Perhaps the biggest blow for Mr Wooler was the theft of the honeycomb sculpture, created in 24-carat gold by the famous English artist, Michael Ayrton. Mr Wooler commissioned the work personally after meeting the artist in London and reading his book, “The Maze Makers,” a novel based on ancient Greek mythology. In the novel, Ayrton described how a solid gold . honeycomb was made in a 'Casting process involving the removal of the comb and its replacement with gold. SCULPTURE PRICELESS ■ “I challenged Ayrton to make one,” said Mr Wooler. "He bought the gold, and set to work. It took three years, but he did it.” The result was a unique sculpture, which Mr Wooler declines to put a value on.