Billy Jamieson
Canadian antique dealer / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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William Jamieson (3 July 1954 – 3 July 2011)[1] was a Canadian treasure and antique dealer and reality TV star. Jamieson was also known as the Headhunter.[2] He was the star of History Channel's Treasure Trader. He was also a world-famous dealer of tribal art, described as having "a taste for the bizarre",[3] and as "Indiana Jones meets Gene Simmons".[4] He was also described as a treasure hunter who "is Indiana Jones, minus the rolling boulders, aliens and savage tribesmen".[5]
Billy Jamieson | |
---|---|
Born | (1954-07-03)July 3, 1954 |
Died | (2011-07-03)July 3, 2011 |
Known for | Dealer and collector of Tribal Art |
Spouse | Jessica Phillips |
Jamieson came to international prominence when he discovered the lost mummy of pharaoh Ramses I following his purchase of the then defunct Niagara Falls Museum. He dealt in a diverse array of curios, including mummies and shrunken heads, and his clientele included the Royal Ontario Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sotheby's, Christie's, and rock stars such as Mick Jagger and Steven Tyler.[6][7]
He lived in a three-storey, 6,000 square feet (560 m2) downtown Toronto loft which doubled as a museum housing thousands of his acquired treasures. The Halloween parties at the loft have been described as "legendary", while his guests at the place included Tyler and Tim Burton. Jamieson died at his home on his 57th birthday, the same day his acquisition of the alleged head of Saint Vitalis of Assisi was completed.[2] The head was acquired for €3,500.[2] After his death, hundreds of his exhibits were auctioned off.