Expert Tribal Art

Your Mission

Use your specialist expertise in Southeast Asian, Oceanic or Americas Art & Antiques to curate high-quality auctions, applying sound judgement to authenticity, provenance, quality and commercial relevance.

Combine expert curation with seller development and market insight to strengthen the category, grow high-quality supply and identify new commercial opportunities.

What You’ll Do

• Curate high-quality auctions by evaluating objects for authenticity, age, attribution, condition, provenance, market relevance and buyer appeal.

• Safeguard trust and responsible trade by researching provenance, identifying potential risks and applying authenticity, quality and compliance standards consistently.

• Grow high-quality supply by identifying and developing relationships with dealers, galleries, collectors, professional sellers and collection owners across Europe and relevant international markets.

• Support sellers with specialist knowledge and practical guidance on estimates, reserve prices, timing, presentation and object quality to improve auction performance.

• Identify category growth opportunities using market insight and auction data, including buyer demand, supply quality, sell-through and average object value.

• Develop and test auction themes, seller initiatives and process improvements, taking ownership from initial idea through execution and results.

• Share specialist knowledge and commercial insights with colleagues to strengthen curation standards, market understanding and the wider Asian & Tribal Art team.

What You’ll Bring

• Demonstrable specialist expertise in Southeast Asian, Oceanic or Americas Art & Antiques, plus good knowledge of at least one additional area within the role’s wider scope.

• Professional experience in the art, antiques, auction, gallery, dealer, collecting, curatorial or online marketplace environment, with the ability to assess authenticity, attribution, quality, condition and provenance.

• Strong research skills using specialist literature, archives, databases and auction records, alongside awareness of cultural-property, responsible-sourcing and provenance considerations.

• A strong understanding of the European art and antiques market and auction dynamics, including estimates, reserve prices, sell-through, buyer demand and supply quality.

• A commercial and proactive approach, with the confidence to develop relationships with dealers, collectors and professional sellers and identify opportunities for category growth.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, attention to detail and sound judgement, with confidence using digital platforms, data and research tools.

• The ability to work independently, take ownership and collaborate effectively, with willingness to travel periodically. Expertise in African Art & Antiques, an established specialist network, relevant additional languages or broader regional expertise are strong advantages.

How We Work

• Work closely with experts, account managers, Business Development, Marketing, the Category Lead and Category Manager to develop opportunities and strengthen auction performance.

• Take ownership of opportunities and projects while contributing to shared team goals and openly sharing specialist knowledge.

• Research beyond your primary specialism, recognise the boundaries of your expertise and seek additional specialist input when needed.

• Combine object-level research, seller relationships and auction performance data to inform decisions and continuously improve ways of working.

Where You’ll Be

This is a Europe-based role that can be based in any of our European offices.