Lot 214C
Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Lower Sepik River, ca. 1920 CE. A large, dark wood war club with a human figure forming its handle. The figure's face is long, with wide eyes and a pronounced nose; he wears simple short trousers and has overly long arms at his sides, with fingers falling below his knee. The overall effect is menacing. Atop his head is a projection that serves as both a hat and a place to hold the club; the hat seems to be modeled from the hats of German officers from this time period. Size: 3" W x 22.25" H (7.6 cm x 56.5 cm)
War clubs have both a ceremonial and practical role in this culture, whose ritualized inter-tribal warfare and related cannibalism was well-documented by anthropologists from the early 20th century onward. From the late 19th century until 1918, the Germans controlled this area of Papua New Guinea, calling it Kaiser Wilhelms-Land. It played a role in WWI, with Australian troops invading it in 1914; after the war ended, German forces surrendered to the Australians, who assumed governance of the territory until the start of WWII. The colonial style of the hat on this war club shows that these were not cultures in isolation, and that the presence of European colonists, missionaries, and martial occupiers had an influence on native material culture.
Provenance: Ex-Duhon Collection, San Francisco, CA
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#119719
- Condition: Intact, with dark wood patina over entire body and very little surface wear.
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