Description:

Oceania/Polynesia, Hawaiian Islands, ca. 19th century CE. A well-preserved, carved wooden tapa beater with four faces and a tapering, conical handle with a rounded end. Each of the faces has a different style of grooves in it, aside from one, which is smooth. One has very deep, widely-spaced grooves; another shallow, narrow-spaced grooves; and the third has a diagonal cross-hatched pattern. Tapa is a particular kind of bark cloth that is made in the South Pacific Islands, mainly Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji, but also as far afield as Hawaii and New Zealand. Tapa was introduced to the western world in the late 18th century by Captain Cook's first expedition, where it was collected under the direction of Joseph Banks and brought to Europe. In Polynesian society, the cloth is of great social importance and is often given as a gift, but it once (before synthetic fabrics replaced it) was used as everyday wear; today it is worn only at special occasions such as weddings. Size: 1.75" W x 15.25" H (4.4 cm x 38.7 cm); 17.8" H (45.2 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#133571

  • Condition: Rich patina on surface. Very few chips and nicks on surface commensurate with age.

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May 24, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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