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Aboriginal | Tribal | Oceanic Art (Aboriginal artefacts only) — Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers

Auction House:Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & ValuersNumber of lots recorded:255
Sale Title:Aboriginal | Tribal | Oceanic Art (Aboriginal artefacts only)Lots with images:255
Auction Location:SydneyPrices available:190
Date:9-Mar-2020
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A traditional axe & a traditional weapon, Wyvulu (Matty) Island, Papua New Guinea, wood & turtle bone, finely made with hardwood handles, turtle bone blades inset & held with tree resin, both handles with patina, 107 x 34 cm, 46 x 21 cm
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An old bowl, Wuvulu (Matty) Island, Papua New Guinea, carved from traditional hardwood, shows usage over time, 49 x 25 cm
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Six Oceanic objects: a Murik Lakes ritual staff, an old carved section of war spear, three small pounders and a flute stopper, Bot Bot village, Ramu River coast, Papua New Guinea, height 45-47 cm, L 26, 22, 20 cm
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Two yam masks, Papua New Guinea, very traditional in form & colour, except for the pink on eyes of smaller yam mask, 33 x 25 cm, 21 x 17 cm
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A large old & finely engraved ceremonial bark belt, Wahgi valley, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea, deeply carved in triangular & linear abstract motifs, painted in red & yellow, height 13 cm, diameter 27 cm
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A woven Helmut mask, Baba, Abelam people, Papua New Guinea, this is a simple but very strong mask, tightly woven, the details are very fine. It is old, with underlying dark paint & more recent bright red. The inside is dark from smoke & dust over many years, 55 x 45 x 27 cm
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A giant Nassa shell ring, 'Loloi', Tolai people, New Britain, Papua New Guinea, a hugely valuable shell ring use for bride price & other important traditional events, at ceremony, this ring containing many thousands of shells is broken apart & distributed, few are exported, they are quite rare objects, on custom stand, diameter 58 cm, 10 cm thick
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A fighting shield, Mendi valley, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea, oval in shape with a central ridge or 'Backbone', very traditional abstract design in red & white, with anthropomorphic meaning, 122 x 47 cm
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A ritual cult hook, Yipwon, Karawari iver, tributary of Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, war & hunting spirits, kept in the Haus Tambaran, 127 x 32 cm
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Eight old war arrows, Mendi valley, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea, all carved from very hard black palm & painted, on bamboo shafts, some with bone tips., length 101-146 cm
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Ten old war arrows, Mendi valley, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea, all carved from very hard black palm & painted on bamboo shafts, some with bone tips, length 98-144 cm
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An old fighting shield, Obura, Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea, old label reads 'Obura. 16 spears', the wooden shield is ancient with fine engraved design all over on the front & covered with spear points from ancient fights, blank on reverse, the top has a fibre 'Headdress' with cane circule for feather spike, the 'Hands' painted on the front are said to be from mourners after the warrior dies in battle, called 'Hanko' in local language, 147 x 45 cm
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A giant clamshell ring 'Yua', Prince Alexander Mountains, Papua New Guinea, used as the most important part of bride price by the Abelam & Boiken people, the size & colour are important in quality, often buried to protect from attacking enemies, diameter 23 cm
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A giant clamshell ring 'Yua', Prince Alexander Mountains, Papua New Guinea, used as the most important part of bridge price by the Abelam & Boiken people, size & colour are important in quality, sometimes buried to protect from attacking enemies, diameter 23 cm
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Three ancestor figures, Murik Lakes Region, Papua New Guinea, c.1970s, whilst not old, the figures are very well carved, painted with red earth, height 19, 20,30 cm
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Five assorted Oceanic body ornaments, Abelam people, Papua New Guinea & the Solomon Islands, including two war pectorals called 'Karawut' & two armbands, orchid stem, length 24-28 cm, armbands, diameter 10 cm
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Two wooden yam masks, Yangoru area, Prince Alexander Mountains, Papua New Guinea, one mask has a pipe in its mouth. Provenance: both collected mid 1970s, 30 x 18 cm, 27 x 13 cm
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Two yam masks, the Wosera, Southern Abelam people, Papua New Guinea, traditional masks used in the yam ceremony promoting fertility, 36 x 27 cm, 29 x 16 cm
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Three ceremonial women's dance wands, one with a figure engraved on both sides, very rare, Mendi valley, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea, these are amazing women's staffs, they are used in gardens to dig, note sharpened handle, also in dance & it is said, to hit abberant husbands., height 110,109,102 cm
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Five highland Ethnographic objects, Enga people, Papua New Guinea, including two headmans armbands, lalibu, two ritual smoking pipes with zoomorphic form & a large bailer shell pectoral 'Pakol, 30 x 20 cm, L 28, 27, 27,32 cm
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A woven Helmut 'Baba' mask, Ablem people, Papua New Guinea, in elongated form with strong features & wonderful colouring & a strong yellow face, 32 x 40 x 32 cm
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A large hornbill bird, Abelam, Kombikum village, Papua New Guinea, hardwood, well carved & painted in very good condition, used on Haus Tambaran, part of initiation ceremony, 90 x 55 cm
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An old dance mask, Ramu River Estuary, north coast Papua New Guinea, layers of paint (some enamel) & worn holes suggest age & many times used in ceremony. Provenance: collected early 1980s by Peter Mann, 41 x 19 cm
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Six stone axe blades, a large axe head from Trobriand Island, others Witu Islands, Papua New Guinea Highlands, length 26, 24, 20, 19,16,12 cm
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Three old Massim betel mortars, Trobriand Island, Papua New Guinea, two with pestles, all hardwood, well carved. Provenance: collected in late 1970s, height 20,33,34 cm
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Seven body ornaments, two pig tusk pectorals, Sepik River, two armbands, Papuan Gulf, a shell necklace & Wristband, Sepik River area, Papua New Guinea, length 10, 10, 10, 15, 22, 22,43 cm
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Two ritual pottery figures, Waskuk hills, upper Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, one red face with cassowary feathers, on janus-head figure, 30 x 15 cm, 21 x 17 cm
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A painted Sago bark panel, Ourambunj village Haus Tambaran, Papua New Guinea, used as ceiling decorations inside the men's ceremonial houses, 143 x 42 cm
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Seven metal bracelets of various forms, Africa, diameter 5.5-9 cm
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A pair of old wooden bowls with pedestal bases, Nigeria, Africa, height 16 cm, diameter 37-41 cm
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A pair of 19 century whale's teeth, the Solomon Islands. Provenance: collected by a missionary in the 1960s, length 10-15 cm
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A whale bone staff, Wuvulu Island, Papua New Guinea. Provenance: collected by Tim Herbert in the 1970s, 67.5 x 24 cm
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A whale bone Sickle type club, Wuvulu Island, Papua New Guinea. Provenance: collected by Tim Herbert in the 1970s, height 131 cm
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A Mwai mask, Iatmul people, Sepik River, East sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, condition: There has been a repair on the tusk. Provenance: collected by Tim Herbert in the 1960s, 76 x 12 cm
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A carved wood votive piece, South India, 18th/19th century, 41 x 19 cm
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An unusual Sepik River lime Spatuala, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, height 24 cm
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A Yena figure, Waskuk people, middle Sepik Region, Papua New Guinea, on custom steel stand. Provenance: collected by Captain Jim hunter, 1968, height 74 cm
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A fine Bougainville dance club, North Solomons Province, Papua New Guinea, with incised design, old patina, on custom stand, height 85 cm
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An Abelam ancestral figure, Maprik Region, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, 120 x 20 cm
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Dapeni Jonevari (Mokokari), (b.c.1949) Omie Papua New Guinea, Buboriano'e, jove Aho'oji, dahoru'e ohu'o sabu deje, 2011, natural earth pigments on nioge (barkcloth), Omie artists certificate of authenticity cat no., 129 x 95 cm. Literature: Beaks of the Papuan hornbill, Aho'oji River, Omie Mountains and spots of the wood-boring grub
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Dapeni Jonevari (Mokokari), (b.c.1949) Omie Papua New Guinea, Butote'e - Spiderwebs, 2013, natural earth pigments on nioge (barkcloth), Omie artists certificate of authenticity cat no. 13-007, 139 x 75 cm
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Dapeni Jonevari (Mokokari), (b.c.1949) Omie Papua New Guinea, Omie Barkcloth Buboriano'e, sabu ahe ohu'o dahoru'e, 2011, natural earth pigments on nioge (barkcloth), Omie artists certificate of authenticity cat no. 11-003, 102 X 57 cm. Literature: Beaks of the Papuan hornbill, spots of the wood-boring grub and Omie Mountains
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Aspasia Gadai (Yewo), (b.c.1963) Omie Papua New Guinea, Omie Barkcloth Dahoru'e ohu'o buboriano'e, 2011, natural earth pigments on nioge (barkcloth), Omie artists certificate of authenticity cat no. 11-174, 140 x 68 cm. Literature: Omie Mountains and beaks of Blyth's hornbill
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Celestine Warina (Kaaru), (b.c.1947) Omie Papua New Guinea, Omie Barkcloth, Dahoru'e ohu'o Jimu Jimu, 2016, Papua New Guinea, natural pigments on barkcloth, certificate of authenticity Omie artists cat no. 16-015, 122 x 78 cm. Literature: (swe, siha'e, udane une, sabu ahe, sigob'e sin'e ohu'o cobbure jo'o si'o si'o ve'e) Omie Mountains and design of the Papuan Flowerpecker (with clouds, fruit of the Sihe tree, eggs of the giant Spiny stick Insect, spots of the wood-boring grub, backbone of the green snake…
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Stella Upia (Agise), (b.c.1946) Omie Papua New Guinea, Omie Barkcloth, Jawubimu'e - mountain pine tree, 2013, natural earth pigments on nioge (barkcloth), Omie Arts certificate of authenticity cat no. 13-028, 128 x 51 cm
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Pauline-Rose Hago (Derami), Ve'i ija ahe (mokojo jo'e, visuano'e, siha'e ohu'o sabu deje) 2011, natural earth pigments on nioge (barkcloth), Omie artists certificate of authenticity cat no. 11-147, 133 x 93 cm. Literature: bone of the lizard (beaks of the black parrot, teeth of the fish, fruit of the Sihe tree and spots of the wood-boring grub
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Ivy-Rose Sirimi, (b.c.1947) Omie Papua New Guinea, Mairi'e jeje ijo'oho, dahoru'e ohu'o buboriano'e, 2014, natural earth pigments on nioge (barkcloth), Omie artists certificate of authenticity cat no. 14-038, 119.5 x 67.5 cm. Literature: The forbidden tree of Lawe's Parotia, Omie Mountains and beaks of the Papuan hornbill
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Susan Hago, (b.c.1974) Omie Papua New Guinea, Dahoru'e, buborian o'e ohu,o sabu ahe, 2014, natural earth pigments on nioge (barkcloth), Omie artists certificate of authenticity cat no. 14-119, 141 x 68 cm. Literature: Omie Mountains, beaks of the Papuan hornbill and spots of the wood-boring grub
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Three boomerangs: Utopia N.T 1960, Ammaroo N.T 1990 & lake Nash, N.T, 1990, Central Australia [3]. Provenance: The William (bill) Dunmall collection (1928-1996), length 63-70 cm
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A finely incised boab nut, Kimberley Region, Western Australia, length 21 cm
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An Aboriginal bark painting, dogs of Bahloo, a Wanjina figure & snakes, Queensland Aboriginal Creations, label verso, 80 x 35 cm
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An Aboriginal bark painting, the Tale of Dinewan, the emu & Coomble-Gubbon, (turkey), animal tracks & human hand, crack down centre. Queensland Aboriginal Creations, label verso. 80 x 39 cm
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An Aboriginal morning star ceremonial pole, Elcho Island, Northern Territory. Provenance: collected by the vendor from Galiwin'ku, Elcho Island, 1998, height 206 cm
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An Aboriginal mimi figure, Arnhem land, Northern Territory, with cross hatch design in natural earth pigments, height 107 cm
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An Aboriginal pottery vessel with Wanjina motifs, Kimberley Region, WA. Condition: a chip to the rim, height 37 cm, diameter 20 cm
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