Coastal Sepik, Papua New Guinea

A beautiful old Coastal Sepik amulet mask. These small masks were attached by a cord to the owner and worn as an amulet or attached to their bilum bag. This particular mask is finely carved with great attention to detail, pierced eyes, with a large pierced septum, and incised motifs on the forehead section of the mask. Weathered and encrusted patina exhibiting great age. Early 20th Century. Presented on a custom made display stand.

Price: Sold

Cape York, Northern Queensland, Australia.

An old sawtooth bill “Anoxypristis cuspidata”. 25 rows of teeth in fine condition. Old weathered patina, a perfect addition to any natural history collection. Circa early 20th Century.

Length: 76 cm or 30 inches.
Price: SOLD

Papuan Gulf, Papua New Guinea

A Papuan Gulf Bullroarer, in elongated spatulate form. The top half highly decorated with incised abstract linear motifs, and a spirit face in the centre. Applied red pigments, with lime infill on the motifs. Circa: 1960’s. In excellent condition.

Height: 49 cm or 19 inches.
Price: Sold

Massim People, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

A wonderful old Massim lime spatula. Of extremely fine form, with a carved styalised avian terminal, incised curvilinear motifs with traces of lime infill. The spatula’s end is almost paper thin; with Lime residue clearly visible. In excellent condition. Late 19th to early 20th Century. Presented on a custom made display stand.
For an almost identical example; see “Massim Tribal Art Papua New Guinea” by Harry Beran - pp 19 figure 9.

Height: 34 cm or 13.5 inches.
Price: $400.00 AUD

Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea.

A wonderful Highlands pectoral ornament. A large carved bailer shell suspended on a natural fibre cord. Incised motif runs along the upper rim, with encrustations of buai and pig fat on the reverse. In excellent condition. Circa Late 19th to early 20th Century. Presented on a custom made display stand

Dimensions (not including stand): 27 x 23 cm or 10.5 x 9 inches.
Price: $650.00 AUD

Yungili Village, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea

A fine Southern Highlands kina shell pectoral adornment. A large crescent shaped section on gold-lipped pearl shell, suspended on a tightly woven sennit fibre neckband. Decorated with red pigments, cus cus fur, pig tails and shell attachments. Notabley there is a piece of mirror fixed to the front of the shell with resin, a nice use of modern materials on an old adornment. Encased in a storage pouch made from bark fibre bound with bush string. A beautiful example of fine tribal jewelery. Used as an adornment at ceremonies, and as currency in bride price exchanges. Also worth noting are the number of knots on the string attachments which represent generations of use. In excellent condition. Circa late 19th to early 20th century.
Width of Kina: 23 cm or 9 inches
Price: $550.00 AUD

Sepik Region, Papua New Guinea.

A wonderful old robust Sepik food hook. Carved from heavy dense wood in human form with traces of natural pigment decoration and bone eyes. On the reverse of the head there is a solid cut lug to suspend. Weathered and encrusted patina; in excellent condition. Circa 1960’s.

Height: 71 cm or 28 inches.
Price: Sold

Massim Area, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

An attractive Massim ceremonial club. Most likely used as a dance club due to its short length, and light weight. Well carved from hard wood, and highly decorated with curvlinear motifs on the distal end, which exhibit traces of white lime infill. Deep glossy patina, with some re-shaping of the handle. Circa 1960’s.

Length: 63 cm or 25 inches.
Price: SOLD

Gameta Village, Kiriwina Island, Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea.

An old Massim money board. Used for printing designs on grass skirts and traditional bananna currency known as “doba”. Carved in elongated oval form with abstract linear motif incised on the front which still has traces of lime infill. Smooth old handling patina; minor loss evident on some of the outer edge. In excellent condition.

Length: 57 cm or 22.5 inches
Price: $600.00 AUD

Fijian Islands

An old Fijian Tabua ornament. An important wealth and status object, often exchanged as gifts at weddings and other ceremonial occaisions. A single sperm whale tooth strung on a woven senit cord. Warm golden patina, in fine condition; a perfect example. Circa 19th Century.

Ex: J. Grant Collection, Daylesford Victoia.
Length:15 cm or 6 inches.
Price:SOLD