Description:

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, probably Sepik River or Murik Lake area, ca. early 20th century CE. An impressive handmade spear thrower displaying a long, hollow shaft carved from two thick bamboo reeds that are held together by tightly woven vegetal fibers. A lovely carved-wood bird, perhaps a pelican due to its sizable beak, sits on the side of the shaft, above an area of beautifully braided fiber. This avian creature serves to provide weight and balance to the spear thrower. At one end of the shaft is a skillfully woven stopper that can be removed in order to insert a spear. The other end has a narrow, annular rim, out of which the spear is shot. Though the spear thrower is tubular at both ends, a large part of the top of the bamboo reed has been removed, likely so one can see the spear once it is loaded. The carved-wood bird boasts a lovely shade of deep brown paint, creating a beautiful contrast to the lustrous caramel hue of the bamboo shaft. Size: 34.6" L x 1.8" W (87.9 cm x 4.6 cm)

Provenance: ex-private Chicago, Illinois, USA collection, acquired in the 1980s

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#143640

  • Condition: Minor abrasions to shaft and avian handle, with light loosening to some vegetal fibers, otherwise intact and very good. Smooth surface textures across shaft.

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January 14, 2021 10:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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