Max Berry has amassed 30 different collections over the years, including objects like corkscrews, mechanical banks and toys, Nantucket baskets, scrimshaw, watches, and porcelain as well as museum-quality masterpieces of 19th- and 20th-century art. Consulting with advisors and fellow collectors, he has learned through experience. Berry was as welcoming of opportunities to expand his knowledge as he was of the many new and diverse friends who brought an incomparable sense of fulfillment into his life. He knew the value of curiosity and asking questions, including seeking out expertise. To that end, Berry, who turns 90 this December, has come to lean on the following adages to guide his collecting ethos:
Max’s Maxims
‘‘The first step for a collector is to listen. Listen to museum directors, curators, specialists, dealers, scholars like Bill Gerdts and John Rewald, collectors, and friends. Learn to become not only a collector but a connoisseur.’’
