Description:

Native American, Northeast United States, Maine, Wabanaki Penobscot, ca. 1890s to 1900s. A root club hand-carved with a pyro-engraved motifs on the handle and red pigment on the root tips. Traditionally small birch trees are uprooted to create these clubs which functioned as symbolic and ceremonial items and adapted as weapons when necessary. By the late 19th century, the abundance of human faces and other varied subject matter on root clubs reflected the increased sales to non-Native tourists, moving away from the spiritual and towards folk art and souvenirs. Size: 17" L x 6" W (43.2 cm x 15.2 cm)

Please note this item falls under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and is not eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, & Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.

Provenance: private Alamo, California, USA collection, before 2000; collected by Sir Godfrey Attridge III in New York, USA in 1930s

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#180587

  • Condition: Chips and stable fissures on the root tips and bark. Fading to pigments. Overall good antique condition.

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February 1, 2024 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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