Die größte Ozeanien-Sammlung am RJM

Curt Danneil Collection

From 1896 to 1899, Dr. Curt Danneil was the only official physician in the Bismarck Archipelago, part of what was then the German protectorate of German New Guinea. During his time as an employee of theNew Guinea Company, he assembled a unique scientific collection of over 2,000 cultural artifacts and human remains from German New Guinea and numerous other Pacific islands.

In March 1903, Danneil donated his collection to the Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum. Along with the objects, he also left the museum extensive lists that he had compiled over the years to document his collection.

An analysis of these lists reveals Danneil’s extensive network offemale traders,plantation owners,administrative staff, missionaries, and ship crews through whom he acquired his objects.

This insider lecture provides insight into provenance research on Oceanic objects, the study of colonial trade networks, and the nearly forgotten figure of Danneil. It is based on the research findings from the master’s thesis of provenance researcher Anneke Nolte. 

With funding from the Museumsgesellschaft RJM e.V., the findings were entered into the RJM database in the spring of 2026, making them available for future research. 

Anneke Noltestudied art history, English, provenance research, and the history of collecting in Bonn and works as a freelance provenance researcher. In addition to her focus on Oceania, she has also conducted research on objects from Cambodia and on Nazi-looted art. She is currently working at the RJM on the project “A 19th-Century Kōlam Mask and Its Relevance for the Current Generation: Restitution Request from Sri Lanka,” which is funded by the German Center for Lost Cultural Property (DZK).

(Text by Anneke Nolte)

Meeting point:5:45 p.m. at the RJM Library

Duration:1.5 hours

Cost:€5 / Free admission for members and students

Registration: Limited seating available; we recommend registering atinfo@rjmkoeln.de