20/05/2026
The Ian Spellerberg Collection
Paper Knives, Folders, Letter Openers and Table Match Holders
Tuesday 26th May - closes 6pm
VIEWING: Friday 22nd 10-2pm, Monday 25th & Tuesday 26th 9-5pm
McCormack and McKellar are proud to present the most extraordinary and rarely seen private collection of paper knives, letter openers, folders and match strikers ever offered at auction in New Zealand.
Among collectors and historians alike the late Ian Spellerberg’s collection stands as the most notable and widely documented collection of its kind in the country. Spanning decades of passionate collecting, this remarkable archive features hundreds of ornate, historical and highly decorative pieces crafted from ivory, wood, brass, greenstone, tortoiseshell and other rare materials.
Ian Spellerberg was Emeritus Professor of Nature and Conservation and worked at Lincoln University and Southhampton University. He quite literally wrote the book on the subject, and his pioneering research transformed the way museums, historians and collectors worldwide catalogue and understand these fascinating desk accessories. This is not simply a collection, it is a globally significant body of material representing craftmanship, history and scholarship at the very highest level.
McCormack and McKellar warmly invite collectors, enthusiasts and the curious alike to step into our auction rooms and experience this exceptional offering firsthand. Opportunities to view and acquire pieces from a collection of this calibre are extraordinarily rare, making this a truly unmissable event.
