Description:

Oceania, Samoa, ca. late 19th century CE. A large, hand-carved wooden war club with a flat, blade-like face carved as one with a long, ovoid handle. Small incised triangular grooves adorn several areas of the handle, hand guard, blade, and hook and are filled with chalky-white material to give the club a bi-chrome appearance. The triangular decorations along the blade are formed into complex square, linear, and curvilinear motifs. The craftsman who made this weapon would have been a highly-valued member of society, and was part of a distinctive group within the populace; their choices of design and ornamentation related to the body art in their culture. Size: 6.75" W x 25.125" H (17.1 cm x 63.8 cm); 27.375" H (69.5 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#136137

  • Condition: Hook restored and attached to tip of body. Minor abrasions and nicks to blade, guard, and handle, with losses to chalky material inside some triangles. Light earthen deposits and fine patina throughout. Old inventory label on verso.

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May 9, 2019 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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