A FINE PAPUAN GULF ANCESTRAL BOARD, hohao, of lenticular form, carved in shallow relief with a stylised male figure surrounded by serrated elements, the nose and forehead in high relief, the latter with pierced septum, painted with white and pink pigments with some black scorched areas, some termite damage, Elema, 1m.60cm. high; a Lower Sepik River standing male figure, 34cm. high; an Admiralty Islands spear fragment; a bamboo pipe with incised designs; three bows; and twenty-five New Guinea spears and arrows, the longest 1m.72cm. (32)

Details

A FINE PAPUAN GULF ANCESTRAL BOARD, hohao, of lenticular form, carved in shallow relief with a stylised male figure surrounded by serrated elements, the nose and forehead in high relief, the latter with pierced septum, painted with white and pink pigments with some black scorched areas, some termite damage, Elema, 1m.60cm. high; a Lower Sepik River standing male figure, 34cm. high; an Admiralty Islands spear fragment; a bamboo pipe with incised designs; three bows; and twenty-five New Guinea spears and arrows, the longest 1m.72cm. (32)

Lot Essay

When this interesting group of New Guinea artefacts was acquired by the present owner they were still wrapped in newspapers dating from the end of the last century. They had been found thus packaged by the present owner in the attic of a house of a sea captain

Cf. Newton, 1961, fig.244, for a similar ancestral board collected before 1890

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