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Important Oceanic and African Art; Natural History, Curiosities and Oddities — Webb's

Auction House:Webb'sNumber of lots recorded:346
Sale Title:Important Oceanic and African Art; Natural History, Curiosities and OdditiesLots with images:340
Auction Location:AucklandPrices available:217
Date:14-Sep-2013
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Whao pounamu, cylindrical shaft with fine blade, scarfing to one side. Dark green nephrite. Length 6.3 cm. Width 1.2 cm
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Pounamu gouge, quadrangular cross-section with worked marks to each lateral side. Smooth finish all over. Pierced hole for suspension. Length 6 cm. Width 2 cm
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Toki pounamu, flattened rectangular form, with old loss to end early weathered patina. Height 12 cm. Width 4.4 cm
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Fine pounamu pendant, teardrop form, flattened cross section, pierced hole for suspension. Collected at Opotiki, circa 1940. Length 8.5 cm. Width 1.6 cm
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Group of toki (3), typical form, of varying stone types. Length 13.5 cm. Width 5.5 cm. Length 12.5 cm. Width 5 cm. Length 14.5 cm. Width 5.5 cm. Length 18 cm. Width 6 cm
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N/A
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Group of toki (4), of varying sizes and form. Greywacke. Length 15.3 cm. width idth 7.5 cm. Length 11.5 cm. width idth 5.4 cm. Length 12 cm. width 5 cm. Length 13.3 cm. width idth 5 cm
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Kuru pounamu, orthodox form with pierced suspension hole. Length 7.2 cm. Width 1 cm
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Kuru pounamu, small teardrop form, bowenite. Length 5 cm. Width 1.1 cm
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Hei tiki pounamu, in orthodox form with head tilting to the left, hands resting on knees. Kawakawa type jade to top of head, variating to inanga below. Red sealing wax in the eyes very old hand written label attached to back. Gifted to current owner's great grandfather while working in Taranaki as an engineer for a dairy Company in the 1870s. Height 9.4 cm. Width 5.2 cm
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Toki, large fragment with smooth polished finish. Argillite. Length 15.5 cm. Width 7 cm
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Group of stone objects (5) three adzes of classic form, a scraper and a finely fashioned spear head. Length 6 cm. Width 4 cm. Length 7 cm. Width 7 cm. Length 7.5 cm. Width 3.5 cm. Length 11 cm. Width 4.5 cm. Length 8.5 cm. Width 2.5 cm
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Whao pounamu, of small form with tapering point. Hand cut workings to side. Length 3 cm. Width .9 cm
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Hoe - paddle, of classic form with carved face, a spiral decoration to front of blade. Height 1520 mm. Width 11.5 cm
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Hoe - paddle, of classic form with a rich brown patina. Length 159 cm. Width 14 cm
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Hoe - paddle, a beautifully carved paddle with open kowhaiwhai designs to the handle and blade. Kowhaiwhai is a traditional Maori decoration that takes the form of abstract curved pattern work. Blackened old patina. Length 164 cm. Width 12.5 cm
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Hoe - paddle, of classic form with a rich brown patina. Length 168 cm. Width 14 cm
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Hafted adze, long elongated handle with carving at top pole. One shell eye. Lower handle carved with face, paua shell eyes missing. Spiral haehae and pataki notching with unattached small light coloured pounamu adze with smooth surface. Length 37 cm. Width 40 mm. Height 7.8 cm
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Cased long-tailed cuckoo - Koekoea, early example perched on wooden mount in a custom glass case. Height 42 cm. Width 38 cm. Diameter 31 cm
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Chatham Island Weka, standing on custom made base, with typical rich brown mottled feathers very good condition. Length 40 cm. Width 23 cm
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Cased kiwi, set in foliage with original case. Height 51 cm. Width 39 cm. Diameter 32 cm
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Bone hair adornment, tapering shaft, stylised design to top good patina. Length 14.5 cm. Width 1.2 cm
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Small Maori scoop, whale bone figure to top leading to scoop. Height 9.5 cm. Width 2 cm
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Hei tiki pounamu, in classic form with arm resting to chest, tongue protruding, pierced hole with attached gold clasp. Height 5 cm. Width 3.5 cm
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Small Maori figure, carved miniature Maori figure, Taranaki region. Possibly a doll. Loss to arms. Length 9 cm. Width 2.7 cm
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Paua inlaid tray, early New Zealand tray with paua base and wooden frame. Diameter 27.5 cm
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Folk art taiaha, typical form, with protruding tongue, notched and linear decorations, raised eyes with four paua inserts. Length 139 cm. Width 6 cm
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Folk art boxes (2), fully carved hinged box inscribed 'Ngaio 1945', together with an un-lidded box inscribed 'Puriri 1945'. Length 26.5 cm. Width 14 cm. Diameter 7 cm. Length 15 cm. Width 7 cm
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Patu, plain wood patu with pencil writing to blade 'Taupo Tiriti o waitani' together with a stone adze fragment. Length 26.5 cm. Width 10 cm
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Carved gun Stock, intricately carved with haehae and pataki notching the top carved with manaia figure, hands clasping stomach. Six paua inserts. Length 35 cm. Width 13 cm
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Mende doll, standing female mourning doll with a raised arm, human hair and cowrie inset eyes. Wearing a woven belt and leaf skirt, cowrie shell armband and job's tears necklace. Body and head covered in white/grey clay. Papua New Guinea. Height 53.6 cm. Width 29.6 cm
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Rare Samoan Mitre, a unique and intriguing wooden mitre tapering shaft with the upper half fully carved with traditional motifs, date inscribed '1939'. Hourglass insert with pierced flower design. Light brown patina overall with traces of red pigment. Height 96 cm. Width 19 cm
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Austral Island paddle, paddle blade of leaf shaped form with a long cylindrical shaft intricately carved with low relief and an elaborate design of interlocking geometric patterns. Carving to the top of the handle reveals abstracted human figures with protruding faces. This form of Ra'ivavaean paddle is thought to be symbolic rather than utilitarian; these objects are imbued with tribal authority, prestige, and rank of the owner. Old collection label attached. Some losses to sides. Dry early patina. Height…
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Oe - paddle, fine palmwood paddle in traditional form with carved inscription to head 'To'. Cook Islands. Length 156 cm. Width 14 cm
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Oe - paddle, fine palmwood paddle in traditional form with carved inscription to head 'To'. Cook Islands. Length 155.5 cm. Width 14.2 cm
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Model canoe, hollowed canoe, with attached outrigger. Carved decoration to sides. Light brown patina. Samoa. Length 143 cm. Width 30 cm
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Model canoe, hollowed split wood, bound with fibre. Attached outrigger. Light brown patina. Niue. Length 139 cm. Width 20 cm
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Model canoe, hollowed canoe, with attached outrigger and paddle. Light brown patina. Niue. Length 80 cm. Width 55 cm
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Model canoe single hull with outrigger wooden canoe with woven sail bound with string and natural sennit fibre. Light brown patina. Fiji. Length 36 cm. Height 58 cm
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Model canoe, hollowed form, pierced holes for attachment, raised carving to bow and stern. Mid-brown patina overall. Length 73 cm. Width 5.5 cm
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Model canoe, hollowed canoe lashed with natural-fibre bindings. Decorative elements to stern and bow. Light brown patina. Niue. Length 110 cm. Height 11 cm. Width 8.5 cm
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Pitcairn Island fish, a wooden carved fish from Pitcairn Island by Elwyn Christian. Length 28 cm. Width 19 cm
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Carved mortar, hollowed form with overall zigzag and circular designs. Handle with two joined hands. Mid-brown patina with traces of lime to bowl. Height 25.5 cm. Width 18 cm
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Early Samoan club, leaf-shaped blade with incised line; in-filled decoration on surface. Two raised ridges to mid-section leading to a squared handle. Light-to-mid-brown patina. Length 83.5 cm. Width 12 cm
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Tongan bowl, kava bowl; hollowed leaf-shaped form resting on four cylindrical tapering legs. Rich, reddish brown patina. Length 36 cm. Width 46.5 cm. Diameter 13 cm
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Fijian Priest/Chief staff, rare form with long, cylindrical shaft and deeply carved decoration to end. Rich, mid-brown patina. Length 107.5 cm. Width 2.6 cm
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Fijian tabua, fine marine ivory tooth with attached woven binding. Fiji. Length 15 cm. Width 5 cm
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Fijian tabua, marine ivory tooth with attached fibre necklace. Fiji. Length 14 cm. Width 5 cm
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Fijian tabua, small polished tooth of a sperm whale, with two pierced holes for attachment. Length 11 cm. Width 4.4 cm
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Fijian food bowl, hollowed bowl with carved elements to ends good age and rich dark patina. Length 40 cm. Width 2.2 cm
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Fijian comb classic traditional form with a rich brown patina. Length 18 cm. Width 11 cm
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New Caledonia n club, a great example in classic bird-head form with domed eyes, flared collar and slightly raised handle to end. Length 76 cm. Width 31 cm
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Fijian Ula, of large proportions with rounded head leading to a carved shank. Rich reddish brown patina. Height 48 cm. Width 11 cm
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Fijian Ula, traditional form, bulbous head. Decorative carving to shaft end. Mid-brown patina. Length 39.6 cm. Width 10.8 cm
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Fijian Ula classic form, bulbous head. Shaft with attached woven sennit binding. Mid-brown patina. Length 40 cm. Width 11 cm
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Rare Solomon Island fishing float, anthropomorphic figure standing on a rectangular mid-section leading to a tapering handle with attached stone to base. Natural fibre binding wood pigment and stone. Height 52 cm. Width 11.5 cm
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Solomon Island cane, blackened hardwood with deeply carved face, traces of white pigment. Shaft decorated with orchid fibre binding. Height 100 cm. Width 6 cm
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Massim club, tapering form, pierced holes for attachment at top, raised carving to handle. Length 74 cm. Width 10 cm
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Massim lime Spatulas (3) three finely carved spatulas with various delicate designs. Signs of good use evident. Papua New Guinea. Length 36.5 cm. Length 33.7 cm. Length 30.3 cm
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Massim figure, squatting figure with incised lime filled decoration, blackened patina. Height 19.5 cm. Width 8 cm
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Massim woven fan, good example with superb weaving patterns. Triangular in form with woven handle. Trobriand Islands. Height 43 cm. Width 35 cm
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Massim Hafted adzes (2), of classic form with attached iron blades, wood and fibre. Length 43 cm. Width 19 cm. Length 35 cm. Width 16 cm
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Lime container and two mortar and pestle, wooden with figural and incised decoration good well-used patina. Trobriand Islands. Height 38 cm. Width 4 cm. Height 26 cm. Width 3.5 cm. Height 9 cm. Width 10.5 cm
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Massim carved spoons (4), black coconut shell hollowed spoons, with incised decoration to back of handle, in-filled with lime. Dry, weathered patina. Trobriand Islands. Length 12.2 cm. Width 7.5 cm
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Solomon spear, hardwood spear with carved decoration to point. Ex Rnzaf Guadalcanal Solomon Islands. Height 277 cm. Width 3 cm
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Two Melanesian Bows coconut wood fibre. Slender bow with tapering ends, one with attached cane string. Dry weathered patina. Length 195 cm. Width 3.5 cm
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Clam shell Currency (4), large and very early clam shell currency, weathered early patina. Choiseul, Solomon Islands. Diameter 8.5 cm. Diameter 8.5 cm. Diameter 8.5 cm. Diameter 7.8 cm
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Solomon Island club leaf shaped blade with raised ridge along shaft and with raised carved heads to end. Dark brown patina. Height 111 cm. Width 18 cm
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Clam shell adzes (3), of traditional form. Collected 1950. Length 12 cm. Width 5 cm length 9 cm. Width 6 cm. Length 7 cm. Width 2 cm
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Admiralty Island daggers. (2) Flaked black obsidian blades attached to fibre and gum handles, decorated with triangulated forms. Red and orange pigment. Length 26 cm. Width 6 cm. Length 21.5 cm. Width 4 cm
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Admiralty Island daggers. (3) Flaked black obsidian blades attached to fibre and gum handles, decorated with triangulated forms. Red, black and white pigment (one with loss). Length 29.5 cm. Width 5.6 cm. Length 24.2 cm. Width 46; length 16.5 cm. Width 5 cm
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Solomon Island feast bowl, large scale feast bowl, hollowed with a blackened patina, the carved decorative ends beautifully inlaid with shell. This type of bowl was used in memorial feasts for an important person, and would have contained taro pudding. Length 79 cm. Width 38 cm. Height 21 cm
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Solomon Island comb, early comb with inlaid mother of pearl. Height 32 cm. Width 7 cm
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Solomon Island comb, early comb with inlaid mother of pearl. Length 16 cm. Width 6 cm
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Solomon Island comb split palm wood with finely woven orchid fibre binding. Length 19 cm. Width 5 cm
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Massim comb, very fine carved decoration to top and middle. Wood, plaited fibre. Length 45 cm. Width 5.6 cm
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Massim comb, very fine carved decoration to top and middle. Wood, plaited fibre. Length 40 cm. Width 4.5 cm
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Marshall Island lure heavy shell body and attached hook. Fibre binding. Length 11 cm. Width 3.5 cm
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Vanuatu carved head carved face with deep eyes, raised checks, elongated nose and mouth bearing teeth. Carved from fossilised seabed. Vanuatu. Collected 1950. Height 15 cm. Width 11 cm
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Large Vanuatu fern post Majestic black fern post, carved face to top with protruding cylindrical eyes, large nose and tusks covered in tightly woven fibre. Body with raised decoration, protruding belly button and phallus. Natural pigments overall. Collected 1950. Vanuatu. Length 202 cm. Width 42 cm
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Large Vanuatu Grade post, large carved post with carved face of ovoid form with elongated forehead, raised triangular decoration to central ridge and sides. Raised eyes and nose. Coloured with natural pigments. Collected 1950. Vanuatu. Length 146 cm. Width 20 cm
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Vanuatu pig Killing club hardwood with figural aspects to shaft and striker. Dark well-used patina. Length 84 cm. Width 37 cm
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Vanuatu club paddle shaped head with raised decoration, finely woven hair binding wrapped to end. Penticost Island, Vanuatu. Collected 1950. Length 123 cm. Width 9 cm
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Boar's jaw lower jaw with curved tusks. Collected 1950. Vanuatu. Length 24 cm. Width 14 cm
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Iniet Chalk figure standing figure with arms to head (very damaged). Height 41 cm. Width 21 cm
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Chalk figure standing chalk figure. Damaged. New Ireland. Length 18 cm. Width 13 cm
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Yam mask, finely woven mask with painted designs. Decorated with fibre and black, red and white pigments. Abelam. Length 30 cm. Width 31 cm
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Yam mask, finely woven mask with geometric painted designs. Fibre, red black and white pigments. Sepik. Height 58 cm. Width 33 cm
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Yam mask elaborate and fine helmet style mask early dry patina. Ramu river Valley, Papua New Guinea. Height 420 mm. Width 300 mm
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Yam mask, finely woven fibre mask with painted yellow, black and red pigment designs. Sepik. Length 43 cm. Width 16 cm
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Southern Island hat conical-shaped with attached discs to sides. Encrusted with natural fibres with black and white pigment large cassowary plume. Diameter 22 cm. Height 68 cm
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Sepik figure carved Hornbill standing on four legged black base. Blackened overall patina. Cowrie shell inset eyes. Height 67 cm. Width 32 cm
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Sepik figure Squatting with arms resting to knees, pierced ears with attached fibre and inset shell eyes. Blackened Patina. Height 32.5 cm. Width 15 cm
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Sepik figure and highland figure (2) two wooden figures with inset shell eyes. Blackened patina with natural pigments. Height 31 cm. Width 6 cm. Height 27 cm. Width 7.5 cm
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Sepik masks (2) over modelled mask and dagger with feathers and inlaid Cowrie shells, human hair, and woven fibre bases. Turtle shell, bone, natural pigments. Length 40 cm. Width 12 cm. Length 30 cm. Width 160 mm
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Asmat figure tall standing figure holding a paddle. Carved decoration to body, clay washed patina with natural red and black pigments evident. Length 80.5 cm. Width 9.6 cm
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Sepik figure male and child standing figures larger with elaborate crocodile coiffure and inset shell eyes, both bound with natural fibre adornments. Blackened patina overall. Height 48 cm. Width 14 cm. Diameter 22 cm
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Sepik figure, fine standing figure with hands resting to top of legs, raised features, slightly bent legs. Washed clay with natural pigments. Papua New Guinea. Height 58 cm. Width 10 cm
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Superb Iatmul figure stone carved with a small cylindrical neck and body. Arms resting to hips, teardrop shaped face with raised facial features, eyes inset with shell. Length 60 cm
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Ramu mask, of hollowed, ovoid form with intricate incised and raised decoration to face, pierced eyes and mouth. Coloured with red, black and white natural pigments. Wooden cross bar attached with fibre to back. Dry patina. Ramu river Valley, Papua New Guinea. Height 74 cm. Width 26 cm
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Ramu bowl, hollowed bowl, carved figures to ends. Blackened brown patina. Length 65 cm. Width 23 cm
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