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Maori, Oceanic and African Art — Dunbar Sloane Ltd.

Auction House:Dunbar Sloane Ltd.Number of lots recorded:377
Sale Title:Maori, Oceanic and African ArtLots with images:377
Auction Location:WellingtonPrices available:300
Date:4-Apr-2023
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A mahe (stone sinker), volcanic stone with lashing grooves, 9 cm length.
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A mahe (stone sinker), argillite with lashing groove around the circumference, 7 cm length.
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A Punga (anchor stone), 10 cm length.
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Three mahe (stone sinkers), with lashing grooves around the circumference. One inscribed with 'Pakawau'', 8 cm, 7 cm, 6 cm length., 2 x
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A large mahe (stone sinker), with lashing groove around the circumference, 12 cm length.
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A small Punga (anchor stone), 6.5 cm length.
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A patu muka (fern root pounder), made in argillite stone, four concentric grooves to the handle base and bottom section, 22 cm length.
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A patu muka (fern root pounder), made in volcanic stone, well defined grip section with three concentric grooves carved to the handle base. Hammer pecked surface, 20 cm length.
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A patu muka (fern root pounder), made in argillite stone, oval cross section with hammer pecked surface. Three concentric grooves to the handle base, 21 cm length.
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Patu aruhe (fern root beater), tapered down to handle end, body shows a large hollow indentation, reverse showing a long indentation. Considerable degradation, 36 cm length.
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A patu muka (fern root pounder), well fashioned in argillite stone, lightly hammer pecked surface with four concentric grooves carved to the handle base, 24 cm length.
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A patu muka (fern root pounder), made in argillite stone, defined grip section and handle base. Some scarring to one side of the body, 23 cm length.
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A 20th century wahaika by Norman Clark, carved wood and applied paua, with wheku figure and face to the grip section, 40 cm length
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Early contact period mere pounamu (short bladed nephrite weapon), crafted from Kawakawa variety pounamu, with spatulate blade. The blade tapers to the reduced grip section with countersunk suspension hole terminating in three reducing grooves, Provenance: Reputed to have belonged to the important Taranaki Nagti Ruanui chief, military leader, peacemaker and prophet Riwha Titokowaru, 28 cm length.
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A large wahaika paraoa (short bladed whale bone weapon), carved with a manaia figure to the inner blade curve, the handle reducing to the grip section with pierced circular straight drilled suspension hole, the butt terminating in a carved wheku head, 60 cm length.
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An early 20th century kotiate (short club), a large carved wood kotiate with rauponga spirals, haehae, and pakati design, the grip section terminates in a stylized human form head. Comes with custom made stand, 47 cm height
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An early 20th century taiaha (fighting staff), the Arero (tongue) and lower section finely carved with rauponga spirals and pataki. Inlaid paua to the Upoko (head) and shaft, some missing, 120 cm length.
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A late 19th carved wood kotiate, carved with raupunga spirals and pakati, inlaid paua to the mid-section. Grip pierced for suspension, 36 cm length.
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Pre-European patu onewa (stone hand club), basalt short hand club, spatulate shape reducing to the grip, three concentric grooves to the butt. Mid and upper section is lacquered. Countersunk suspension hole. Chip to the butt, some fritting to the blade, 30 cm length.
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A 19th century mere pounamu, carved in kawakawa variety stone with pale inclusion to one side of the grip. Six concentric bands carved to the butt, pierced for suspension, 37 cm length.
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Pounamu pekapeka, Inanga variety stone, fine grained with light brown inclusions. Manaia head to left and right with a single elongated hole in between. Countersunk lugged suspension hole, 7 cm length.
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A large pounamu kuru (pendant), Kawakawa variety stone with Marsden inclusions to one lateral edge and rounded tip. Straight, even, and polished, 20 cm length.
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A kuru pendant, smooth translucent kahurangi variety stone with a countersunk hole and a gold mount, 12 cm length.
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Inanga kuru pendant, pale Inanga with white inclusions, scarfing on one lateral edge, damaged and repaired at end. Countersunk suspension hole, 12 cm length
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A rare and important Aurei (cloak pin), collected by reverend Henry Williams. Marine ivory, early contact period, crescent shape with countersunk hole. Yellow patina to the surface, Provenance: collected by reverend Henry Williams and then passed on by descent to his Son Thomas Williams and then to his granddaughter the New Zealand artist Eila Williams, 13.5 cm length.
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Andrew McGregor pounamu hei tiki, carved in kawakawa variety stone with inlaid paua eyes, hands displaying fingers resting on the chest and back. Traditionally carved suspension hole countersunk through the back of the head. Binding with pounamu toggle, 9 cm height
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Three muka kete, made with Harakeke fiber (NZ flax), 31 cm, 30 cm, 26 cm height
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Tangiwai pekapeka (Bowenite pendant), well carved in translucent Tangiwai. Janus heads with circular eyes and an asymmetrical suspension hole, 6 cm x 4.5 cm.
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A kauri gum bust of a Maori chief, with ta moko wearing a cloak, 25 cm height
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A pou Whakairo carved in the manner of a Maori Burial chest, carved Totora, small square recess to the anterior, c1920s, 90 cm height.
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A late 19th century architectural board, probably a section of a mahi (barge board). Carved with a side profile wheku head with protruding tongue. Remnants of one paua shell eye remaining with the other one absent, 50 cm x 40 cm.
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A mutu kaka (bird perch), carved wood with suspension hole, 23 cm height.
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A 19th century tokotoko (traditional carved walking stick) attributed to Jacob William Heberley (1849-1906). Naturalistic carved figure with ta-moko surmounting three wheku heads. The figures all with inset cut paua shell eyes (one missing) and decorated with triple haehae and pakati (dog tooth) notching. The head conjoined with a wheku head forming the handle, 96 cm height.
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A 19th century finely carved ngati tarawhai tokotoko, finely carved rauponga with wheku figure to the handle section with janus weku head to the mid-section of shaft. Vetical split to the length of shaft but structural integrity intact, raised on a metal stand, 68 cm height.
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A rare Pre-European stone tooled carved heru (comb), finely carved wood, with complete tines. Carved facial features to one side, Provenance: Wagner Museum collection. Northland, 25 cm length.
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A 19th century hoe (paddle), with leaf shaped blade and slender shaft terming in a ridged handle, some damage to the base of the blade. Raised on a custom made stand, Provenance; Joseph Salamanca collection, 133 cm length
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A small ornamental hoe (paddle), displaying a carved wheku figure with inlaid paua eyes and hands clasped to belly, 47 cm length.
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Large handled Ta Whakairo (bowl), lug handles to each end, Provenance: Wagner Museum collection. Northland, 65 cm length.
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A rare 19th century Tiheru (canoe bailer), with tapering scoop fully carved to the underside with pakati and haehae designs. The handle carved as two parallel bars terminating in a wheku head. Probably made from Kaikawaka (NZ cedar) due to its light weight and buoyancy. Bailers of this type were typically used on smaller waka on coastal and inland waterways. Another similar example from the East cape dating from 1850 is held in the collection of the British Museum. Illustrated in 'Taonga Maori in the…
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Carved wooden whakawae (door Jamb) section, the early 19th century architectural piece carved with three conjoined ancestral figures with naturalistic bodies and wheku faces mounted on an intricately carved support with side profile wheku heads and takarangi double spirals with pakati detailing. Some losses evident, Provenance: Wagner Museum collection. Northland, 78 cm length., 78 cm length.
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Early 19th century Architectual board section, possibly the door to a kumara pit store, carved with an ancestral figure with a wheku head with protruding tongue with pakati detailing. The figure holds a patu to the abdomen clasped in three fingered hands. Some losses evident, Provenance: Wagner Museum collection. Northland, 60 cm length.
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Pre-European toki pounamu, Inanga variety stone showing evidence of firing. Tapering quadrangular form with scarfing to both lateral edges. Uneven poll and some fritting to the cutting edge, Provenance: Wagner Museum collection. Northland. Displaying a Wagner Museum serial number, 17 cm length.
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Ta Whakairo (mallet), 62 cm length.
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Ta Whakairo (mallet), heart shaped lower section with a central recess then tapering to the grip shaft. Showing wear usage. Historically used to peg the supports for eel nets, Provenance: Wagner Museum collection. Northland, 60 cm length.
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Patu Tuna (Eel club), Spatulate shaped blade tapering to the grip, Provenance: Wagner Musuem collection, Northland, 44 cm length.
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A large Punga (anchor stone), volcanic stone with deeply recessed lashing grooves, 42 cm length
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Ipu (wooden bowl), flat bottomed elliptical shaped bowl with one end terminating to a point, Provenance: Wagner Museum collection. Northland, 41 cm length.
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A mahe (stone sinker), basalt with lashing grooves, 7 cm length.
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A mahe (stone sinker), volcanic stone with lashing grooves around the circumference, 7 cm length.
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Mahe (stone sinker), with natural piercing through the center lashing groove, 7 cm length.
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Two mahe (stone sinkers), course volcanic stone with lashings grooves, 12 cm, 9 cm length.
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A carved volcanic stone bowl, 10 cm diameter.
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A spherical hammer stone, volcanic rock, 8 cm diameter.
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A good Pre-European toki (volcanic stone), tapering quadrangular form with tang, hammer dressed surface, cutting edge rounded and slightly uneven, 24 cm length.
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A large rare Spaded toki, possibly crafted from serpentine, with hammered dressed lateral edges the rest polished throughout, 17 cm length.
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A rare Pre-European pounamu amulet pendant, Kahurangi variety pounamu. With two broken out suspension holes indictive of significant age and with two re-drilled countersunk suspension holes to the upper section, found in a river inlet in Otago in the 1950s, 13 x 6 cm
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Carved pou Whakairo figure, with inlaid paua eyes. Inscribed to reverse 'Carver Mapere Te Hiakai, Te Wairoa, Rotorua.', 40 cm height
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A pounamu Awl, 9 cm length.
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A fine 19th century kiwi feather kete (kiwi feather bag), with woven muka twining. Some damage to the weave at top center, Provenance: Private Collection Nelson. Previously in the collection of Ann and Peter Webb, 24 cm x 20 cm.
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A 19th Wakahuia (treasure box), finely carved of classical ovoid form. Each end with projecting wheku heads with paua shell eyes. The body of the box carved with radiating lines of rauponga with pakati (dog tooth) notching, and takarangi spiral decoration. The lid with conforming rauponga carving and pakati (dog tooth) notching, 48 cm length.
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A rare large and unusual Pre-European pounamu toki (adze blade), Inanga with inclusions in the stone, long slender tapering quadrangular shape, well defined lapidary scarf running down the length of each side. Poll broken and repaired, 41 cm length.
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Large Pre-European Serpentinite toki, thick tapering quadrangular shape with a ridge bisecting the bevel. Hammer dressed surface throughout, lower edge of the bevel polished. Fritting to blade edge, 31 cm length.
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A large Pre-European toki (argillite), thick quadrangular form with well defined lateral edges, poll uneven hammer dressed and tanged, a clear ridge bisects the bevel, the cutting edge is asymmetric and chipped, 30 cm length.
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A large Pre-European toki (argillite), large thick quadrangular form with an even poll and incipient tang, well defined lateral edges and a double sided bevel with small chip the blade, 30 cm length.
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A Pre-European toki (argillite), traditional quadrangular form, even poll with incipient tang, double sided bevel with some chipping to the blade, 24 cm length.
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A 19th century pounamu hei tiki, type I form carved in Kahurangi variety stone. Widely recessed eyes, three ribs to the torso, rounded stomach. Concealed countersunk suspension hole to the top of head, 9 cm length.
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Early 20th century hei tiki, Inanga variety stone. Type I with large recessed eyes, asymmetric nose and mouth displaying two teeth. Rudimentary hands to thighs. Suspension hole to the top of head, 10 cm length.
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A carved Poupou panel by Norman Clark (1942 - 2016), Norman Clark was personally chosen by Sir James Henare to participate in the Te Maori exhibition at the New York metropolitan Museum of Art in 1984. The Poupou is carved as a wheku head with inset paua shell eyes. Signed and dated 1976 to the reverse, 53 cm x 21 cm
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A rare Manatunga Maori travel rug, decorated in poutama (stairway to heaven) design in white, green, and tan. Original label affixed; "Manatunga, made in New Zealand by Roslyn Mills." additional cardboard tag and paper sticker attached. As new condition, 190 cm x 146 cm
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Manatunga wool travel rug, decorated in a tukutuku panel design in black, brown, and yellow. Original Manatunga Mosgiel woollens Ltd label attached, 184 cm x 140 cm
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Te Ariki wool travel rug, decorated in a tukutuku panel design in black, brown, red, orange, and white. Original onehunga label attached, 136 cm x 130 cm
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A Ramu River mask from the Madang Province, facial features carved in high relief and painted with umber and black pigments, framed with cassowary feathers. Metal hook with fiber binding for suspension, 81 cm height
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Ramu River paddle from Papua New Guinea, displaying stylized ancestor figures painted with dark pigment to one side of the blade and figural finial to the top of paddle, 195 cm length
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Ramu River paddle from Papua New Guinea, displaying stylized ancestor figures painted with dark pigment to one side of the blade and figural finial to the top of paddle, 172 cm length
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A Ramu River paddle from Papua New Guinea, displaying stylized ancestor figures painted with dark pigment to one side of the blade, carving to lower end of the handle, 207 cm length
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A Ramu River paddle from Papua New Guinea, displaying stylized ancestor figures painted with dark pigment to one side of the blade, concentric bands carved to top of the handle, 190 cm length
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A Ramu River paddle from Papua New Guinea, displaying stylized ancestor figures painted with dark pigment to one side of the blade, carving to lower end of the handle, 184 cm length
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A Ramu River paddle from Papua New Guinea, displaying stylized ancestor figures painted with dark pigment to one side of the blade, carving to lower end of the handle with concentric bands to the top, 206 cm length
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A Ramu River paddle from Papua New Guinea, displaying stylized ancestor figures painted with dark pigment to one side of the blade, carving to lower end of the handle with concentric bands to the top, 196 cm length
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A Ramu River paddle from Papua New Guinea, displaying stylized ancestor figures painted with dark pigment to one side of the blade, 170 cm length
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Five Papua New Guinea Nassa shell body adornments, woven fiber with applied Nassa shell. Includes three armbands.
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Two cowrie shell Currency necklaces from the Madang Province, Papua New Guinea
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Three cowrie shell Currency necklaces from the Madang Province, Papua New Guinea
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A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth Necklace
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A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, with applied red pigment.
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Five cassowary bone spatulas, with carved avian heads, one with red pigment.
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Four cassowary bone Spatulas
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A Ramu River Kundu drum from Papua New Guinea, decorated with incised geometric patterns and painted with red and silver pigment. Collected in 1972. Skin missing (likely removed at NZ customs), 56 cm height
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Two Kundu Ramu River drums from Papua New Guinea, the larger of the two displaying carved crocodile, hornbill, and human figure handles, incised geometric patterns, and red fiber embellishments. The smaller with incised ancestral figure. Both skins missing (likely removed at NZ customs), 83 cm, 71 cm length
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Five elliptical Ramu River food bowls, with carved figural handles, various sizes. One with damaged rim.
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Four elliptical Ramu River food bowls, with carved figural handles, various sizes.
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Five elliptical Ramu River food bowls, four with carved figural handles, one with carved avian heads to the underside. Various sizes.
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A large Ramu River feast bowl, decorated with carved stylised frigate birds, 70 cm length
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A Papua New Guinea war shield from the Pora Pora river, East Sepik Provence, broad wedged shield with a central ancestral figure and clan motifs on either side. Two lateral holes pierced for suspension, 127 cm height
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A large Papua New Guinea water drum from the Chambri area, Sepik River, blackened hornbill and crocodile carved in high relief, 92 cm height
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Five Papua New Guinea fishing Nets, various sizes.
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A Papua New Guinea Sepik River yam mask, woven fiber, 46 cm height
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Two elliptical Ramu River food bowls, with frigate bird motifs. Showing clear signs of use, 71 cm, 68 cm length
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Three elliptical Ramu River food bowls, with carved figural handles, 97 cm, 80 cm, 71 cm length
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A Ramu River paddle from Papua New Guinea, displaying stylized ancestor figures painted with dark pigment to one side of the blade, carving to lower end of the handle, 161 cm length
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