Collingwood Bay, Oro Province, Papua New Guinea

A fine early Collingwood Bay lime spatula. Carved in slender form; the handle classically segmented, with incised linear motif, bearing traces of natural red and possibly rekkits blue pigments. At the centre of the handle are four carved holes, presumably for seed or shell attachments. All over deep glossy handling patina; the tip nicely betel stained in perfect condition. Late 19th Century; custom mounted

Length: 44 cm or 17.25 inches.
Price: Australian$2800.00

Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

A large old Massim lime spatula. The handle decorated with two “Janus” figures in classic pose. On the front and reverse of the stem is a raised carved snake, usually found on early examples. Remnant lime infill on the motif surrounding and covering the figures and the body and facial details of the snake. The tip nicely betel stained. Deep glossy handling patina. Circa late 19th to early 20th Century; in excellent condition. Custom mounted.

Height: 39.5 cm or 15.5 inches.

Price: Australian$2000.00

Aibom Viallage, Chambri Lakes, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

An attractive Aibom sago storage pot. Sculpted usually by women, and decorated with a zoomorphic avian face with a large toothy grinning mouth. You have to love the flare of these ceramic artists; for the way they beautifully decorate their day to day utilitarian objects. Applied natural pigment decoration. Mid 20th Century; with signs of extensive use, excellent condition.

Height: 27 cm or 10.5 inches.

Price: SOLD

Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

An old Massim food bowl. Beautifully carved from hard wood; with two figural terminals protruding from each end. Scrolling motif adorns the top rim with remnant lime infill. Deep glossy patina in excellent condition. A charming bowl of rare form; presented on a custom steel display stand. Early 20th Century

Height: 54 cm or 21.2 inches.
Price: Sold

Fergusson Island, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

A fine Massim lime spatula. The flat rectangular handle highly decorated in classic incised curvilinear motif, framed by two bands of triangular motif on the top and bottom; while there are cut out holes on the top of the handle for shell and seed attachments. Remnant lime infill, and the tip is nicely betel stained. The interlocking scrolls on this spatula bear a striking similarity to those on a carving of a pig, found in Harry Berans book ‘Massim Tribal Art – Papua New Guinea’. – see fig 129 on pg 44. (Woolongong City Gallery, 1980.) We wonder then, whether this is a classic style of motif which can be attributed to Fergusson Island of the D’entrecasteaux group where we collected this piece.. Dark glossy handling patina; in excellent condition. Custom mounted. Early 20th Century

Height: 37.5 cm or 14.75 inches.
Price: Australian$850.00

Huon Gulf, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea

An old and time worn Huon Gulf food scoop. These ornamented ladles are used on special occasions to serve pudding known as “pollom”. This is a fine example, with a classic ancestor figure in relief adorning the bridge, complete with raised openwork ears on each side, the reverse with incised abstract motif. The handle terminates in a stylised crocodile head with old loss, which may have been another carved figure. Deep glossy handling patina, in overall excellent condition. Early 20th Century. Custom Mounted.
Ex C. Howarth Collection. Melbourne.
Ex S. Teves Collection Melbourne.

Length: 63 cm or 24.8 inches
Price: Australian$1250.00

Huon Gulf, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea

An old Huon Gulf ceremonial bowl. Carved from dense wood in large proportions; deep oval form; with two avian carvings projecting from each end. The side flanked by two classic ancestor figures that appear to be guarding the bowl. Remnant lime infill on the birds and figures. Deep glossy patina. In excellent condition. Early 20th Century.

Length: 52 cm or 20.5 inches
Price: $1800.00 AUD

Tami Island, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea

A fine and extremely well used old Tami Island food scoop. The stem bearing a classic ancestral Tami oblong face with pointed chin and exaggerated ears which wrap around the top of the scoop. The handle terminating in a stylised avian figure which once appeared to be surmounted by a second figure; that has vanished long ago. All over dark glossy patina from extensive use. Custom mounted. Circa Mid 19th Century. In overall excellent condition.

Height: 39 cm or 15.5 inches
Price:SOLD

Vakuta Island, Trobriand Islands, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

A group of three pig bone lime spatulas. Used as an everyday utilitarian object in the process of chewing betel; which the Trobriand Islanders are completely mad about. All three display a deep rich golden handling patina from extensive use, and have nicely betel stained tips. Early to mid 20th Century. Custom mounted.

Lengths: 19 cm or 7 – 7.5 inches
Price: $700.00 AUD

Murik Lakes, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

An attractive Murik Lakes betel mortar. The bowl supported by a central stem which is adorned with incised abstract motif, and flanked by three classic ancestor figures which appear to be almost guarding the mortar. This piece was collected in 1969, and has definite signs of age and use prior to this. The edges soft and round from handling and patches of the the pigment decoration have come flaking away with age. A great example in excellent condition.

Height: 13 cm or 5.1 inches
Price: $850.00 AUD