Description:

North Pacific, Hawaiian Islands, Pre to Post Contact era, ca. 16th to 19th century CE. A stone carved into a fishing weight, the upper face presents a domed form with a flattened ridge along the underside, a "bread loaf" shape. The sinker has a shallow groove encircling the center for a rope to be wrapped around. The rest of the lure would be comprised of a large cowrie snail shell bound with twisted sennet thread to the sinker on one end, and a crescent-shaped hook fashioned from wood or bone on the opposite end. Octopus lures were used by dipping the hook into shallow water and shaking it up and down in a rhythmic motion to entice an octopus to wrap its tentacles around the hook end. The fisherman would then rapidly pull the lure upward to pierce the creature's hard beak, soft body, or one of its many tentacles. Size: 3.5" L x 2.75" W x 2.5" H (8.9 cm x 7 cm x 6.4 cm)

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, before 2010

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#173825

  • Condition: Age and use expected surface wear and nicks, otherwise intact and very good. Old inventory number on surface.

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August 4, 2022 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
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$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
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