Description:

North Pacific, Hawaii, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A fine set of three Hawaiian royal standards known as kahilis formed from wooden poles wrapped in gold-hued rope or cloth to their mid-section and then adorned with dozens of lush feathers in hues of cream, marigold, light brown, and taupe. A vegetal fiber rope coiled around a swatch of barkcloth presents at the junction of the handle and the plumage, which are woven to the wood via slender white string. Kahilis are symbols of the ali'i chiefs and were adopted as Hawaiian royal standards near the close of the eighteenth century. Similar to how the nobility of Europe use banners with coats of arms, Hawaiian nobility use kahili to show status, lineage, and family ties. There are many sizes and styles of kahili, from very small kahili-pa a-lima (hand kahili) carried like a scepter by female chiefs to the towering formal kahili. Size (all the same): 8" W x 47.75" H (20.3 cm x 121.3 cm)

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#142594

  • Condition: Light fraying to animal hide at base of feathers. Otherwise, intact and excellent with lovely patina to wood and impressively preserved plumage.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

April 1, 2021 10:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000