Description:

Oceania, Polynesia, Fiji Islands, ca. 19th century CE. This is a practical implement carved from a thick piece of wood with a long neck and an anchor shaped hook for baskets and food items to store off the ground. The bulbous head is wrapped with a length of sennit fiber cord for tying to a house beam or ceiling for suspending baskets that contained food or valuables to protect them from rodents or other pests. Often these hooks are decorated with ancestor spirits or clan symbols that the household could commune with, and it was believed the spirits that inhabited the hooks also protected the food and slowed spoilage. Size: 6.5" L x 2.75" W (16.5 cm x 7 cm); 8.25" H (21 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired from 1995 to 2010

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#168533

  • Condition: Fire and heat damage across the wood and cord, charred, but intact and very good. Abrasions to high pointed areas.

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December 1, 2022 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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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