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Australian Indigenous & Oceanic Art, Day 1 (tribal lots only) — Mossgreen Auctions (No longer trading)

Auction House:Mossgreen Auctions (No longer trading)Number of lots recorded:77
Sale Title:Australian Indigenous & Oceanic Art, Day 1 (tribal lots only)Lots with images:77
Auction Location:MelbournePrices available:62
Date:22-Jul-2014
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An important and rare ceremonial boomerang / club (lil-lil), North Queensland (circa 1900), carved hardwood, 80.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Victoria, This extraordinary and large ceremonial boomerang-club is carved of hardwood with an irregular flaring and flattened terminus. It is intricately carved with incised human figures and horses which are broken into sections of cross-hatched bands. This highly accentuated figurative form of boomerang-club (sometimes referred to as lil-lil) is…
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A rare spearthrower (womera), South Australia (early nineteenth century), carved wood, resin and native twine, 58 cm high. Provenance: The Major Hasson Collection, United States of America. Brunks Auctions, North Carolina, 20 July 2002. Private Collection, Queensland
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A rare spearthrower (womera), coastal New South Wales (nineteenth century), carved wood, 68.7 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Melbourne. For related examples from the same region see;. Carol Cooper, et al., Aboriginal Australia, Australian Galleries and Directors' Council, 1981, pp. 100-101, specifically plates S103-S104, (illus.)
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A spearthrower (womera), South East Australia (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 75.2 cm high. Provenance: The Tom McCourt Collection. By descent. Private Collection, Melbourne
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A spearthrower (womera), South East Australia (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, resin and kangaroo gut, 66.8 cm high. Provenance: The Tom McCourt Collection. By descent. Private Collection, Melbourne
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An early shield, South East Australia (mid-late nineteenth century), carved wood and natural earth pigments, 77 cm high. This is an intricately carved and well balanced shield which shows signs of traditional tooled incisions, such as a possum tooth jaw. Provenance: Private Collection, Victoria.
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A dynamic parrying shield, South East Australia (late nineteenth century), carved hardwood and natural pigments, 72.7 cm high. Provenance: Mrs Edgell Hunt, New Zealand (1898). The Pitt-Rivers Collection, United Kingdom. Primitive Works of Art, Sotheby's, London, 30 March 1981, lot 116. Private Collection, United States
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An early parrying shield, South East Australia (early nineteenth century), carved hardwood and natural pigments, 89.2 cm high. This fine and early example shows evidence of stone tooling and the intricate designs incised into the face of the shield have been carved using traditional tooling, such as a possum tooth. The reverse of the shield possesses deep patination and scalloped surfaces indicating a very early age. Provenance: Private Collection. Primitive Works of Art, Sotheby's, London, 23 June 1981.…
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An early and exceptional narrow parrying shield, Darling River Region, New South Wales (early-mid nineteenth century), carved hardwood and natural pigments, 84.8 cm high. A fine, early stone-carved parrying shield of diamond shaped cross-section and elongated triangular profile decorated on the front faces in four sections of zig-zag patterning etched into the surface, probably with a possum-jaw tool and inlaid with white pigment, with a solid cut handle. The shield possesses a fine red ochred patina. The…
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An exceptional and dynamically carved narrow shield, Darling River Region, New South Wales (nineteenth century), carved hardwood and natural earth pigments, 68 cm high. This exceptional stone-carved example still retains strong remnants of its original red and white ochre pigmentation which highlights its intricate designs carved into the face of the shield. The reverse and handle are replete with fine adzed tooling and patination overall. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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A boomerang made and used by the King of Murrumbidgee, Murrumbidgee, New South Wales (mid nineteenth century), carved hardwood and sterling silver, 88 cm long. A fighting boomerang that carries a sterling silver plaque identifying it as having been 'made and used by the King of Murrumbidgee.' Fighting boomerangs are non-returning and were thrown in the air or along the ground to cartwheel towards an opponent. Those from the Murrumbidgee or southern New South Wales region tend to be undecorated and large,…
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A finely incised and rare club, Wide Bay-Burnett Region, Queensland (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 66.7 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Queensland
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A nail-headed club, Queensland (nineteenth century), carved hardwood and hob-nails, 70.7 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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A nail-headed club, South East Australia, (nineteenth century), carved hardwood and imbedded iron, 63 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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An early club, Queensland (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 72.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, South Australia
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A Gulmari shield, South West Queensland (nineteenth century), carved wood and natural pigments, 45.1 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, United States of America. Exhibited: The Past and Present Art of the Australian Aborigine, Pacific Asia Museum, Los Angeles, 24 September 1980 - 4 January 1981, (illustrated in catalogue)
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A large sword club, Far North Queensland (nineteenth century), carved hardwood and resin, 151.6 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney. The commanding presence of this sword club belies its traditional use. It is one of the widest and largest bladed examples that I have had the privilege to handle. This particular sword club must have been held by a native tribesman of very high esteem and interestingly, these clubs (along with rainforest shields) were traditionally owned and used by some of the…
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A fine boomerang, South West Queensland (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 85.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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A large boomerang, South West Queensland (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 93.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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A fine and rare club (bendi), Central Queensland (nineteenth century), carved hardwood. An exceptionally fine and rare form of club, (of which we have two in this sale); this example appears to be stone carved., 80.7 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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A rare club (bendi), Central Queensland (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 75.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Queensland
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A rainforest shield, Mareeba, North Queensland (circa 1900), natural earth pigments on carved figwood, 97 cm high. This shield is historically significant; it was collected by John Atherton (1837-1913), the grazier and overlander after whom the tablelands between the Palmer River and the headland of the Burdekin River in North Queensland are named. Atherton first ventured north into Queensland in the 1850s and settled at Emerald End near Mareeba on the banks of the Barron River in 1877, where he remained…
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An impressive boomerang, probably Broome, North Western Australia, (nineteenth century), carved wood and earth pigments, 67 cm high. For two related examples see, Philip Jones, boomerang; Behind an Australian Icon, Ten speed Press, California, 1997, p. 39 and p. 51. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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A rare fishing boomerang, possibly South Australia, carved hardwood, 59.1 cm high. For two related examples see Philip Jones, boomerang;, Behind an Australian Icon, Ten speed Press, California, 1997, pp. 52-53, where he describes the illustrated examples as being from Broome, Western Australia., The minimalistic incised designs on this boomerang indicate a more south-east origin, possibly South Australia, making this a very scarce example. Provenance: Private Collection, Queensland
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A fine coolamon (piti), Central Australia (circa 1900), carved hardwood and natural earth pigments, 43.3 x 19.3 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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A coolamon (piti), Northern Australia (circa 1930), carved wood and earth pigments, 78.5 cm long. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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An fine early wunda shield, Western Australia (circa 1900), natural earth pigments on carved hardwood, 77.4 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Victoria
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An early fish-tailed club, Bathurst or Melville Islands, Northern Territory, (circa 1900), carved hardwood, 59.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, South Australia
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Three fine ceremonial clubs, Bathurst or Melville Islands, Northern Territory, (circa 1930), carved ironwood and natural earth pigments, 50.5 cm; 54 cm; 45.5 cm (3). Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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Two hooked boomerangs, Central Australia (1970), carved wood and natural earth pigments, 69.5 cm; 74.5 cm high (2). Provenance: Private Collection, South Australia
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A hooked boomerang, Northern Territory (early twentieth century), carved hardwood, 79.1 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, South Australia
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Artist Unknown, Untitled (Central Australian shield) (1970), carved beanwood and natural earth pigments, 63.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, South Australia
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Artist Unknown, Untitled (Central Australian coolamon), (circa 1950s), carved beanwood and natural earth pigments, 84.7 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, South Australia
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Artist Unknown, Untitled (Central Australian shield) (1970), carved beanwood and natural earth pigments, 66.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, South Australia
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An early and engraved club, Murray River Region, South East Australia, (early nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 65 cm; 67 cm high. For related examples see: Carol Cooper, Aboriginal Australia, Australian Gallery of Directors Council, New South Wales, 1981, pp.90-91, S56-59, illustrated. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Melbourne
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An exceptional club, South East Australia (early nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 63 cm high. For a related example see: Robert Brough Smyth, The Aborigines of Victoria: with notes relating to the habits of the natives of other parts of Australia and Tasmania compiled from various sources for the Government of Victoria, Government Printer, Melbourne 1878, p.300, pl.57, illustrated., This superb example shows evidence of stone tooled incising. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private…
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An early club, South East Australia (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 55 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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A rare wooden shovel, New South Wales (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 77 cm high. For an extensive discussion and illustrations of related examples in the collections of national and state museums see Massola, A., The Wooden Shovels of the Aborigines of South- Eastern Australia, Anthropological Society of New South Wales, Sydney, 1959, pp.289-296, illustrated. In this article, Mr H. O'Sullivan White, a surveyor with the lands Department of New South Wales, observed in the year 1849 while camped on…
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A rare boomerang club, South East Australia (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 63.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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A superb and early carved club (lil-lil), New South Wales (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 69 cm high. For related examples see: Carol Cooper, Aboriginal Australia, Australian Gallery of Directors Council, New South Wales, 1981, p.92, S65, illustrated. This very rare and profusely carved form shows extensive use and 'battle scarring'. These particular examples of Lil-lil, which were made by aborigines in the upper reaches of the Murray River, are particularly graceful in form. Provenance: Private…
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An unusual and early club, South East Australia (early nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 75 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Melbourne
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A rare and early club, South East Australia (early nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 71 cm high. For related examples see: Carol Cooper, Aboriginal Australia, Australian Gallery of Directors Council, New South Wales, 1981, pp.90, S51-52, illustrated, which reads 'A variety of club known as 'stabbing waddies' which were held around the middle, the sharp ends being used in a stabbing motion...this form of club appears to have been used only by groups occupying the Lower Murray Region of South Australia…
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A rare club, South East Australia (early nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 71 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Melbourne
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A shield, Upper Darling River, New South Wales, (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 74 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Melbourne
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A large parrying shield, South East Australia (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, red and white natural earth pigments, 92 cm high. For related examples see: Carol Cooper, Aboriginal Australia, Australian Gallery of Directors Council, New South Wales, 1981, pp.84-85, S23-25, illustrated. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Queensland. Private Collection, Melbourne
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An early club, South East Australia (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 69 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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Two clubs, South East Australia (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 67 cm; 62 cm high. Provenance: James Purves Collection (1979), Berry Collection, Melbourne. Private Collection, Melbourne
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A bulbous club, South East Australia (early nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 56.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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An early club, South East Australia (nineteenth century), carved hardwood and binding, 55.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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Two early beehive ended clubs, South East Australia (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 64 cm; 60.5 cm high (2). Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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An early spearthrower (womera), South East Australia (early-mid nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 75.2 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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An early and incised spearthrower (womera), South East Australia, carved hardwood, 83 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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A transitional boomerang and spearthrower (womera), South East Australia (circa 1900), carved hardwood, 52 cm; 53 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Melbourne
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An early engraved boomerang, South East Australia (early nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 51.5 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Melbourne
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A male stone ancestor figure, Tolai People, New Britain (nineteenth century), carved stone, 33.3 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Brisbane
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An early mask, Boiken Region (East Sepik Provence), Papua New Guinea (circa 1900), carved wood and natural earth pigments, 25 x 14.7 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne
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A model funerary canoe, Santa Isabel, Guadalcanal or Nggela Island, Melanesia (circa 1900), inlaid pearl shell and resin on carved wood, 99 cm long. For two closely related examples see, Kevin Conru, Solomon Islands Art, Musumeci Spa, Italy, 2008, pp. 86-87. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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A fine porpoise tooth and beaded necklace, Western Solomon Islands, Melanesia (circa 1900), porpoise teeth, beads and bush string, 34 cm long. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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A breastplate, Solomon Islands, Melanesia (circa 1900), pearl shell, tortoise shell, beads and bush string, 34 x 18 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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A ceremonial dance club, Santa Cruz Islands (circa 1900), carved wood, natural earth pigments and binding, 105.2 cm long. For a closely related and similar example see, Kevin Conru, Solomon Islands Art, Musumeci Spa, Italy, 2008, p. 127. Provenance: The Syber Collection, Melbourne
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A wicker shield, Solomon Islands, Melanesia (circa 1900), woven wicker on cane, 75 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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A large pectoral ornament (tema), Santa Cruz, Solomon Islands, (early twentieth century), tridacna shell, tortoise shell and natural fibre, 18 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Melbourne
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An early canoe prow ornament (nguzunguzu), New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands, (nineteenth century), carved wood, pearl shell inlay and resin, 13.7 cm high. This early figurehead is atypical in its diminutively mischievous proportions. The accentuated and flaired curves of the anatomical detail (particularly to the nasal region), highlighted with segments of mother of pearl ornamentation and capped off with the helmetlike protrusion, makes this particular 'Icon of Oceanic Art' all the more intriguing.…
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A fine canoe prow ornament (nguzunguzu), New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands (circa 1900), carved wood, natural pigments, pearl shell, fibres and resin, 21.5 cm high. Used to ensure safe passage and successful raids against neighbouring island villages, these prow figureheads or nguzunguzu were attached just above the waterline at the bow of a war canoe. This example of figurehead most likely originates from the Roviana lagoon region, New Georgia Island. Kevin Conru suggests that the imagery used in these…
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A neckrest (kali hahapo), Tonga, Polynesia (late nineteenth century), carved hardwood, 51.2 x 13.5 x 12.5 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Melbourne
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A chieftain's stool (no' oanaga), Cook Islands, Polynesia (late nineteenth century), carved wood, 42.6 x 17 x 22 cm. Provenance: Oceanic Art, Christie's, Amsterdam, 6 December 1999, lot 536. Private Collection. Private Collection, Melbourne
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An early and rare waste belt, Santo, Vanuatu (nineteenth century), carved hardwood, beads and bush string, 36.5 cm long. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney. These objects are exceedingly rare with only several others known to be held in private collections (without the fibre attached). They were worn with the wooden section at the back laid on to the hips.
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A rare axe, Matty Islands, Wuvulu Province, Papua New Guinea (nineteenth century), clam shell imbedded in carved wood, 40.8 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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A neckrest, Tami Islands, Huon Gulf, Papua New Guinea (early twentieth century), trade paint on carved wood, 15 x 20.5 x 6 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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A lime spatula, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, (early twentieth century), natural earth pigments on carved ebony, 41.6 cm long. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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An early headdress, Huli People, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea (early twentieth century), human hair, bird of paradise feather, various feathers and bush string binding, 51 cm long. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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A hook figure (garra), Bahinemo People, Hunstein Mountains, Papua New Guinea, (mid twentieth century), carved hardwood and natural earth pigments, 95.2 cm high. Garra figures of the Bahinemo people represented ancestral spirits which were essential in hunting and in warfare. The hooks are seen as stylized hornbill beaks which, aside from their decorative aesthetic, relate to the soul, the ancestor and the spirit world. Garra are carried in the hands of male dancers during initiation ceremonies and the rest…
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A war shield, Mendi People, Papua New Guinea, (mid twentieth century), carved wood, pigments and rope, 131 cm high. Provenance: Private Collection, Sydney
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An early war shield, North West Asmat Region, Papua, (early twentieth century), carved wood and natural pigments, 195.3 cm high. This finely carved and early Northwest Asmat war shield originates from the upper Unis River. The shield possesses intricate early incised designs and patination with indicates it would date to the early part of the twentieth century (if not earlier). Provenance: Reputedly collected by Dutch Missionaries. in the 1950s. Private Collection, Sydney
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A Maori club (taiaha), New Zealand (nineteenth century), carved hardwood and paua shell, 147.2 cm long. Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom. Private Collection, Melbourne
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A signed letter by Winiata Wiremu Patene, (A New Zealand Maori Tribal Leader), ink on paper, 20.4 x 12.6 cm; 18 x 11.2 cm (2). Fredrick was the son of Richard Cooke Coles (1812-1888). The letter is written in Maori with a contemporary English translation dated 15 September 1882 to Charles Smith: 'In England the country of Queen Victoria O friend I salute you I salute you. My love to you in your absence from us. That is the end of the sighing. This is a word to you. Tell me something great (a good deal)…
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Two large house posts (maihi), Maori People, New Zealand (early twentieth century), inlaid pearl shell and trade paint on carved hardwood, 206 cm high (2). The large carved meeting house was usually named after an important ancestor and in most parts of New Zealand, was a symbol of that ancestor. The house itself also represents the body of the koruru, who is the ancestor after whom the house is named. The arms of the koruru are the maihi or sloping bargeboards. These particular examples date to the early…
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