Mark Blackburn is an avid collector of Polynesian Art and his collection is, according to Adrienne Kaeppler Curator of Oceanic Ethnology at the Smithsonian Museum, probably the best in private hands in the world. The collection includes artefacts that are both indigenous to the Polynesian islands as well as European objects that relate to the them. The collection includes many elaborately decorated objects; dishes, weapons and ceremonial cutlery as well as pictures and prints made of the island and its inhabitants. Of particular note is the calling card of one Mr Omai - Omai was a young Ra’iatean man who was brought to England aboard the HMS Adventure upon its return to England in 1774 from Tahiti as part of Captain James Cook’s second voyage of discovery of the Pacific. He became the toast of London society and is best known from his 1776 portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds.