Online catalogue for the 56th tribal art auction

21 Dish

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Boiken

wood, brown, partly encrusted patina, remains of pigments, of circular and flat form, the underside ornamented in relief, with two small handles, arranged opposite to each other pierced for support, min. dam., slight signs of abrasion; food was eaten from coconuts cut in halves or from folded leaves serving as plates. Wooden dishes were used to store food (for example sago flour). Their usage was only allowed to males. The ornamentation on the underside always depicts sea turtles in an absolute abstract form.

D: 52,5 cm
D: 20.7 inch

Provenance
Ulrich Kortmann, Dortmund, Germany

Literature
Aumann, Georg, Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Neu Guinea, Ausst.kat., Naturwissenschaftliches Museum Coburg 1986, p. 153, ill. 358

Price: 600 - 900 €

22 Two axe blades "je"

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea, Dani

greenish slate-like stone, formed like a blade, decorated with strings of plaited bast and a grass fibre cuff, one ot them with collection label "YEDANI BALIEM.V.N.G.", min. dam., on metal base; used as bridal currency.

H: 44 resp. 45 cm
H: 44 resp. 17.7 inch

Provenance
Coll. Albrecht Schultze-Lidl, Germany

Literature
Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. II, Köln 1995, p. 408, ill. 461

Price: 450 - 700 €

23 Walking stick, axe and axe blade (bridal money) "je"

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Highlands

group of three objects, staff of reddish brown wood with a knob-shaped handle, l: 82,5 cm, carved with a crocodile, faced by a pigs head on top, slightly dam., minor missing parts, paint rubbed off; axe, flat, club-shaped wooden shaft, l: 74,5 cm, a cylindrical blade of blackish stone inserted, crack backside, partly spread with mass; additional: axe blade "je" of the Dani, Papua New Guinea, l: 47 cm, greyish green, slate-like stone, formed like a blade, missing parts

, coll. in situ, 1971-75
, coll. in situ, 1971-75

Provenance
Coll. Roger Schnapka, Munich, Germany

Literature
Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. II, Köln 1995, p. 408, ill. 461

Price: 450 - 700 €

24 Bracelet "sekip", shell currency "kina", tobacco receptacle and basket

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Highlands

group of four objects, bracelet "sekip", d: 8 cm, bundle of twisted plant fibre strings, tied together on the inside, while fan-like spread by a bamboo brace on the outside, entirely dyed in dark brown; worn in pairs, as status symbol reserved for rich men; shell currency "kina", mother of pearl, h: 18 cm, sickle-shaped, dyed with red pigment, a ribbon of woven fibre affixed to the upper rim, braid with cowrie snails, pendant of animal pelt (kuskus), metal base; means for trade and payment, as ornament only used on special occasions; receptacle for tobacco (?), Sumba, Indonesia, h: 11,5 cm, wood, bipartite, corpus and lid bicoloured, reddish- and blackish brown patina, of rectangular, flat form, knoblike projections aside and on top, provided with drilled holes with leather strip for closing, slightly dam., cracks (rim of the lid), minor missing parts (knobs aside); basket, rattan, Baining, Gazelle Peninsula, New Britain, d: 23 cm, h: 13,5 cm, of oval, bulbous form with flat bottom, stable and firm, min. residues of patina at the rim, produced in a winding technique, very rare !

Literature
Heermann, Ingrid/Menter, Ulrich, Schmuck der Südsee, Ornament und Symbol, Objekte aus dem Linden-Museum Stuttgart, München 1990, p. 57

Price: 600 - 800 €

25 Overmodeled pigs skull

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea, Iatmul

skull of a small pig, overmodeled with a clay-like mass with snails arranged in rows, two spiral-shaped worm casings pressed into the tip of the trunk, the eyes inset with cowrie snails, slightly dam., cracks, missing parts (ears), some of the teeth missing; according to the primitive peoples each part of the environment, if humans, animals, plants or inanimate items like stones have transcendental powers. The ambition of man is to take possession of these powers and spirits and make them subservient for himself. Heads like the present were made for that purposes.

L: 18,5 cm
L: 7.3 inch

Provenance
Jean-Francois Silvy, Cannes, France
Coll. Albrecht Schultze-Lidl, Germany

Sold.

26 Ancestor board "gope"

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Korewori

wood, dark brown, encrusted patina, slightly hollowed, narrow form with round endings, coated with ornaments in relief, showing different motifs, dam., minor missing parts and cracks

H: 64,5 cm
H: 25.4 inch

Provenance
German Private Collection

Sold.

27 Portrait of a spirits' head

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Maprik

wood, residues of polychrome paint, an oval facial plane framed by a collar-shaped bulge, simplified facial features with narrow slit eyes, small projection for support at the bottom, min. dam., on metal base; depicting a clan spirit, affixed to the front of ritual houses, characterized by highly abstract facial features.

H: 29 cm
H: 11.4 inch

Provenance
Michael Evans, Ferndale, USA
Chris Boyland, Sydney, Australia
Private Collection, New York, USA

Literature
Aumann, Georg, Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Neu Guinea, Ausst.kat., Naturwissenschaftliches Museum Coburg 1986, p. 81, ill. 161

Sold.

28 Overmodeled skull

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Middle Sepik, Sawos

in a thick layer overmodeled with clay, which explains the heavy weight of the object, dyed in black, coated with curvilinear ornaments in white paint, the eyes inset with cowrie snails, framed by painted eyelashes, shells and nassa snails in two rows on the forehead, coiffure with real hair, partly forming lobes, when wrapped around cord material, slightly dam., min. abrasion; war magic is made against skulls previously taken from the enemy village which is to be attacked. This magic involves insults and extremely vulgar jokes about the enemy's lack of masculinity.

H: 19 cm
H: 7.5 inch

Literature
Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. I, Köln 1995, p. 255, ill. 276

Sold.

29 Ancestor ghost mask

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Ramu River

honey brown wood, of elongated narrow form, a vaulted forehead with raised middle ridge, a slanted eye zone with small drilled holes below, flanking a bow-shaped projecting nose, completed by a tiny, v-shaped mouth, framed by a beard with zigzag contours, old place of repair (at the right rim), missing part (beard, left rim), on base

H: 39 cm
H: 15.4 inch

Literature
Aumann, Georg, Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Neu Guinea, Ausst.kat., Naturwissenschaftliches Museum Coburg 1986, p. 44 f.

Price: 1200 - 1800 €

30 Betel nut mortar

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Ramu River

light brown wood, spotty brown patina, a figure with tribe-typical facial features sitting on a round base, the stretched out arms holding an oval bowl with remains of mass, bowl and base decorated with incised ornaments running around, min. dam., signs of abrasion, small missing parts; used for softening and milling betel nuts.

H: 19,5 cm
H: 7.7 inch

Price: 600 - 900 €