Description:

South Pacific, Hawaii, ca. late 18th to early 19th century CE. A beautiful example of a kou wood calabash - a serving bowl named for a gourd and made from hardwood in Hawaii. The interior is smooth and unpolished, while the exterior is polished to show the beautiful colors and grain of the wood. Hawaiian royalty often valued specific calabashes - even going so far as to name them after royal individuals - and until the early 19th century they were reserved for elites in society. This example has slightly incurved walls and a flat base with a deep interior. The natural grain of the wood is wonderfully highlighted by the artisan. Traditionally, calabashes were made with stone and coral tools, carved from kou, milo, and kamani trees. Repaired calabashes like this one demonstrate signs of immense reverence - the calabash was loved enough to be repaired, and the repairs, like this one, were done with the desire to make the repair itself beautiful. Size: 13.5" W x 9.75" H (34.3 cm x 24.8 cm)

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#145376

  • Condition: Wear to base from use, old wooden butterfly repair to underside, a few age cracks. Beautiful old patina.

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June 10, 2021 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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