Description:

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Sepik River region, ca. 18th to 19th century CE. A necklace made from woven vegetal fiber cordage woven around dozens of drilled animal teeth. The teeth are short and slightly curved, probably pig, and drilled through the root and lashed into place with woven sennit cords. In pre-colonial Papua New Guinea, animal tooth necklaces like this one, adorned with boar, dog, crocodile, and even bat teeth, held significant importance as status markers and were valuable trade goods. These necklaces served not only as a means of exchange but also as decorative ornaments. Size: 9" L x 6.5" W (22.9 cm x 16.5 cm); 12.5" H (31.8 cm) on included custom stand; teeth: 0.6" L (1.5 cm)

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-Dr Frank Burnett collection, England.

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.

#184719

  • Condition: Missing a few teeth with chips and losses to others. Cords have some fraying to the ends, and the terminal end on the right side is torn off but reattached with modern monofilament wire. Mounted on an acrylic display stand.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

August 2, 2024 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 27.5% 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