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The Richard Berry Collection - Part 2, Day 1 — Young's Auctions (No longer trading)

Auction House:Young's Auctions (No longer trading)Number of lots recorded:521
Sale Title:The Richard Berry Collection - Part 2, Day 1Lots with images:513
Auction Location:MelbournePrices available:454
Date:29-Mar-2009
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Boomerang and digging stick. Two (2) desert region artefacts consisting of a boomerang with incised linear decoration and accompanying digging stick. 69 and 61 cm
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Two (2) wooden artefacts. Consisting of a nulla nulla (club) and unusual long, narrow chisel shaped implement. 70 and 92 cm
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Combat shield. Murray River region. Finely incised bold zig-zag lines with pipe clay, dissected by a longitudinal band with remains of ochre. Deep lug cut handle to the reverse. This shield is a fabulous piece, displaying the highest levels of craftsmanship. Museum quality. Permit required. Length 105 cm. Width: 22 cm
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Combat shield. Western desert region. Incised linear decoration and remains of ochre. Reverse also incised, with lug handle. 68 cm
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Combat shield. South east Australian. Convex form front incised with bold zig-zag lines, decorative pipe clay and ochre. Two holes through the central section for grass handle (not present). Another superb piece. Permit required. Length 101 cm Width: 18 cm
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Three (3) desert country hunting boomerangs. Two finished with adze markings, the other beautifully decorated with lines and ochre colouring. 66, 73 and 73 cm
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Three (3) tourist boomerangs, two hand painted with kangaroos, the other with an emu, one bears the makers name, 'Made in Australia by bill Onus'. The others are unmarked but attributed to the same maker. Similar pieces reside in the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
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Three (3) tourist boomerangs, decorated with incised and pokerwork Australian themes and motifs. Two are signed on the reverse, 'Tommy Foster, La Perouse'. 44, 48 and 48 cm
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Three (3) boomerangs. One decorated with pokerwork hoop edges, one hand painted with trees and semi-circles, the other is an unfinished piece. 34, 52 and 52 cm
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Combat shield. Central Australian region. Convex ovoid form with straight linear decoration to the front and back. Lug handle and remains of ochre length 67 cm. Width 22 cm
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Two (2) boomerangs. Undefined source area. Old patina. 60 and 61 cm
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Two (2) boomerangs. South East Australian. Both displaying adzed convex fronts and pointed ends with rich patina. Unusual form, rare and exceptional examples. 60 and 62 cm
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Message stick, West Australian, elongated ovoid form, finely incised with totemic designs, 113 cm
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Woomera (spear thrower). West Australian. Broad leaf shaped with defined adzed front and back. Incised with a bold zig-zag pattern. 61 cm
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Club. South East Australian. Unusual tapering form with 2 ridges at distal end and carved conical hand-grip. 57 cm
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Two (2) returning boomerangs. Unidentified source areas. Smooth finish with old patination. 57 and 59 cm
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Boomerang. Central desert origin. Incised with 7 trees to the front, the reverse decorated with incised zig-zag lozenges, emu tracks and a central dissecting zig-zag line. 43 cm
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Woomera (spear thrower). Western district, central Australian region. Elongated leaf form with incised circular design near hand-grip, gum to end of handle. Peg missing. 69 cm
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Woomera (spear thrower). Long slender form, wooden peg affixed with gum, the handle defined with thread and gum. 86 cm
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Three (3) desert country boomerangs, all with striated linear decoration and remains of ochre, lengths 63 cm, 69 cm and 72 cm
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Three (3) boomerangs. Two are adzed and wire finished, the other with inscription on the reverse, 'Oodea, 19-5-50' 50, 63 and 77 cm
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Two (2) desert country artefacts. Includes a club with incised linear decoration and boomerang incised with lines, ochre body and pipe clay tip. Adzed on the reverse. 73 and 76 cm
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Boomerang. Desert country origin. Convex front incised with a long serpent and short serpent plus various animal tracks. Pencilled note on the front, 'Central Australia, Dec. 19. ' 68 cm
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Two (2) Lil Lil clubs. One with triangular shaped head decorated with pokerwork coat of arms to both sides and decorated edges, the other with pokerwork Australiana motifs. 42 and 43 cm
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Spear. Torres Strait Island. Ornately carved tip showing crocodile and totemic designs. Bound with braided fibre. 146 cm
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Seven (7) spear tips. A collection of barbed and pointed tips and shafts.
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Boomerang. South east Australian. Shallow curved form with pinched tips. 19th century. Permit required. 61 cm
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Boomerang. South east Australian. Slender curved form, convex front and back. Dark patina. 19th century. Permit required. 63 cm
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Hooked club. South east Australian. Bands of incised chevrons, cross hatched and zig-zag decoration. 19th century, old borer holes. Permit required. 54 cm
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Fire stick. South east Australian. Split adzed stick with 4 holes and notched sides. Permit required. 48.5 cm
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Boomerang. South east Australian. Convex front, flat back and obvious adzed marks. 19th century. Permit required. 56 cm
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Boomerang. South east Australian. Smooth slender form, convex front and back. Remains of ochre. Permit required. 59.5 cm
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Boomerang. South east Australian. Convex front, flat back and adzed marks. 19th century. Permit required. 56 cm
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Club. South east Australian. Bulbous square head with bands of incised linear decoration and carved handle. Permit required. 61.5 cm
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Curved club. South east Australian. Hooped pokerwork decoration to distal end, pointed conical handle. 19th century. Permit required. 72.5 cm
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Reed spear tip. South east Australian. A rare item, often used as a trade piece in exchange for axe heads. Permit required. 34.5 cm
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Three (3) carved animal figures, goanna, snake and sea turtle, decorated with either pokerwork or hand painted designs.
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Two (2) woomeras. Elongated form, remains of gum and slight pecked decoration. 76 and 85 cm
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Two (2) woomeras. West Australian origin. Elongated form, one with pokerwork and ochre bird motif. 95 and 100 cm
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Three (3) artefacts. One woomera of slender leaf form and remains of gum. Long stick woomera with remains of string and gum. Club with bulbous conical head and spiral carved handle, engraved 'Murnowee' on shaft.
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Three (3) artefacts. Slender club with incised hand-grip, central Australian boomerang and an unusual double-ended woomera.
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Club. Coastal Queensland origin. Fine striated carving and pecked handle. Dark patina. 74 cm
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Club. Coastal Queensland origin. Long slender form with slight bulbous head and remains of protruding ridge. 87 cm
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Club. Queensland origin. Fine striated finish and remains of gum to hand-grip. 19th century. 65 cm
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Club. Unknown origin. Unusual bulbous triangular shaped head. Tapering and pointed handle with incised band. 60 cm
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Fire stick. Cape York region. A single stick with red seed pod double sheath. Gum and fibre binding. 67 cm
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Club. South East Australian. Long phallic form with 8 bands of cross hatched incised decoration. Carved tapered hand-grip. 83 cm
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Dilly bag, Northern Australian, woven string with bands of earth colours.
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Woven basket. Quadraform base with cylindrical body and remains of handle. Height: 31 cm
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Woven basket. Fine woven tribal basket and remains of cane handle. Holes in base. Height: 31 cm
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Boomerang. Darling river region, incised linear totemic decoration, heavy adzed markings to reverse. 19th century
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Woven basket. Arnhem Land. Pandanus grass and twine. Cylindrical form with domed base. Height: 40 cm
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Gope board. Papuan Gulf region. Stylised face with deep carved features, red, white and black colouration, the border decorated with two bands of arrow head incising. Nose missing.
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Gope board, Papuan Gulf region, stylised spirit face with deep incised markings, black and white colouring, triangular shape patterned border. Length 100 cm width 30 cm
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Sepik food hook, in the form of ancestral being with kauri shell eyes, old patina length 123 cm
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New Guinea war club. Carved stone pineapple head, woven fibre at head of shaft. Old repairs. 124 cm
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New Guinea war club. Carved stone pineapple head with woven fibre at head of shaft and pointed conical tipped handle. 106 cm
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New Guinea disc club. Generous proportions, circular shaped stone head, woven fibre at head of tapering shaft. 105 cm
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Two (2) New Guinea disc clubs. Both with woven fibre at the heads, one with a slightly carved tip. 87 and 108 cm
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Two (2) sword clubs, East Papuan, Milne Bay area, one ebony with typical carved Massim decoration on both sides, the other has similar geometric carving on one side only and stylised bird handle. 88 and 104 cm
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Sword club. East Papuan. Milne Bay. Broad convex blade carved at the tip with typical Trobriand swirling motif and defined handle. 63 cm
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Two (2) sword clubs, East Papuan, one with a plain convex shaft, the other with an incised border, stars to the shaft and triangular tipped handle. 91 and 69 cm
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Short-handled ceremonial dance club. East Papuan. A broad flat pointed tip and incised decorated flat end. 71 and 85 cm
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Group of bird feathers, bound with fibre and remnants of skin. Approx. 43 cm
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Lime spatula. Milne Bay region. Ebony with open carved ancestral 2-faced figure, seated with knees raised to elbows. Remnants of lime decoration within incised lines. 37 cm
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Lime spatula. Milne Bay region. Ebony with open carved ancestral seated figure handle. 44 cm
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Lime spatula. Milne Bay region. Ebony with open carved ancestral seated figure handle and cross hatched collar to the shaft. 30 cm
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Food spatula. Milne Bay region. In the shape of a canoe, ornately carved with traditional patterns. 68 cm
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Two (2) lime spatulas. Milne Bay region. Both with traditional decorative carvings. 33 and 49 cm
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Two (2) bone daggers. West Papuan region. Incised decoration on one. 30 and 36 cm
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Six (6) Papuan carved timber figures, graduated in size, all of stylised human forms, seated with elbows on knees, supporting the heads, the largest statue with a bowl on the head. Largest: 35 cm, smallest: 12 cm
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Tall figurative totem. East Pauan. Four seated ancestral figures with traditional Massim carving. 101 cm
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Two (2) New Guinea carved wooden food bowls. Huon Gulf bowl carved floral motif to underside. Milne Bay bowl with an incised decorated rim. 30 and 36 cm
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Group of three (3) Trobriand harpoon spears. Traditional carved hand-grips. Beautifully weighted and aged. 312, 322 and 331 cm
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Three (3) New Guinea ebony spears. Undecorated. Original patina. 280, 285 and 287 cm
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War club. Vanuatu. 3-sided head with spherical nodules and a mushroom cap (part missing), the handle with shaped bulbous grip. 98 cm
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War club. New Caledonia n origin. Bulbous hand piece, long tapered shaft with flared distal end. 95 cm
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Paddle club. Fiji or Samoan origin. Heavy shaft with broad blade and partially serrated edge. Good clean patina. 103 cm
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War club. Solomon Islands. Leaf shaped head with a pointed handle. 114 cm
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Maori Taiaha. New Zealand, broad flat distal end with traditional finely carved handle.
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Maori fish hook, New Zealand, carved barbed bone hook, timber and paua shell body with braided line attached. 9 cm body plus 50 cm braided cord.
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Micronesian artefact, a barbed shaft with quadrant head. (one barb missing.) remnants of braided line attached
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Maori figured dish. New Zealand, carved timber figure holding a shallow dish. 20th century
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Maori wooden cup. Highly carved 19th century decorative bowl on a later turned platform base. 21.5 cm
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Carved wooden bowl, Polynesian, decorated with incised spirit figures, linear designs and patterns. 10.5 cm height. 21 cm diameter
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Two (2) wooden patus. Maori, New Zealand, one with carved band of zig-zag decoration and ribbed hand-grip, the other a smooth crescent shape. 40 cm and 31 cm
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Ancestral figure. Vanuatu, carved wooden seated figure with bulbous eyes. Height 33 cm
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Canoe bailer. Eastern New Guinea. Deep bowl with internal handle. Carved ornamentation at one end. 39 cm
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Tapa cloth tent, Samoa. Late 19th century bark, the main body decorated with geometric patterns, the ends with a finely detailed border. 700 x 500 cm approx.
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Two (2) Tapa cloth beaters. Samoa. Used to beat bark into tapa cloth for traditional clothing, sails and so on. 35 and 36 cm
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Two (2) tapa mats with traditional motifs. One large and one small. Large: 170 x 105 cm. Small: 70 x 48 cm
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Tabua. Fijian Chieftain's whale tooth necklace (tabue) with original fibre cord, lovely patina.
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Tabua. Fiji. Chieftain's whale tooth pendant. 19th century tooth with holes for fibre cord (not present).
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Two (2) Tabuas. Fiji. Chieftain's whale tooth pendants, of two sizes. (no cords.) 13 and 8 cm
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Whale tooth, substantial size, holed at one end
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Four (4) whale teeth, holed for use as necklaces. 10 cm, 9.5 cm, 9 cm and 7.5 cm
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Axe. Tahiti. Curved wooden shaft with hide hand-grip. Topped with bands of intricate carving affixed with iron axe head. 65 cm shaft, 22 cm head.
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Polynesian chief's stool, the crescent shaped seat supported by four plain pillars and a central pillar with open carving and pecked decoration, resting on a plinth base
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Drum with lizard skin top. Huon Gulf, East Papuan, deeply incised and decorated with red and black colouring, fibre decoration attached to handles and finials
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Tribal drum. Papua New Guinea. Lizard skin and fibre binding. Carved handles and dark patina. 67 cm
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