Online catalogue for the 68th tribal art auction

21 Ornament and currency ring "yua"

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea, Abelam

cut from tridacna shell, slightly vaulted on the outside, natural veined, on metal base; such rings were used as primitive money but men used to wear them during ritual dances as well. Sometimes they were given to young girls who were about to marry. They fixed the rings to special bags used to be worn with a headband, and thus made them an important part of their festive costume. They were used for decoration of the big yams root as well.

D: 12 cm (inside), 28 cm
D: 4.7 inch (inside), 11 inch

Literature
Aumann, Georg, Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Neu Guinea, Coburg 1986, p. 147

Price: 4000 - 8000 €

22 Ancestor skull "ndambirkus"

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea, Asmat

human skull, shiny spotty patina, the lower jaw fixed with rattan, eye-sockets and nose spread with beeswax, red seeds of the crab's eye vine inserted, earrings with feather tassels, slight traces of abrasion, good condition, on metal base; just like normal household articles in Asmat culture human skulls were part of everyday life. The skull of a treasured ancestor was treated with outmost respect, it was dressed in a ceremonial manner and kept in a secure place. Sometimes it was attached to cord and worn around the neck. The men used to carry the skulls around with them in order to keep in contact with the ancestors. When sleeping they used the ancestor skulls as head rest.

H: 23 cm
H: 9.1 inch

Provenance
Southern German Private Collection

Literature
Konrad, Gunter und Ursula, u.a., Asmat, Glashütten 1981, p. 105 f.

Sold.

23 Two bags

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea, Dani

small bags (h: ca. 12 cm) made of net-like plant fibrer weave, attached to long support strips, decorated with 9 resp.10 skulls of small animals, complete with teeth

L: 44 cm & 56 cm (Trageriemen)
L: 17.3 inch & 22 inch (Trageriemen)

Sold.

24 Dance staff

This object is not available any more.

Papua-Neuguinea - Geelvink / Cenderawasih-Bai

wood, blackish brown patina, hexagonal shaft with ornamental decor, dam., minor missing parts, traces of old age and weathering

L: 113 cm
L: 44.5 inch

Price: 400 - 800 €

25 Ancestor board "gope"

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Golf

wood, reddish brown patina, black paint, white pigment, lancet-shaped, slightly vaulted, carved with two stylized mask faces in raised contours, slightly dam., paint rubbed off; there are 3 types of ancestral tablets. Present one belongs to the type of personal "gope" boards "obina ebiha", which are owned by individuals. They represent named ancestors and are stored in the communal Men's House. Young boys have small gope boards which are unnamed and which hang on the walls of their homes. They are supposed to help the boys grow towards the time of adulthood. They loose their potency at initiation. The most importand gope is the large "darimo ebiha", of which one exists for each clan.

H: 107 cm
H: 42.1 inch

Provenance
Leo & Lillian Fortess, Hawaii, USA
Eric Fortess, Hawaii, USA

Price: 5000 - 10000 €

26 Figural suspension hook

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea, Iatmul

wood, dark brown patina, in shape of a standing female figure, thorn-like hooks, carved eyelet backside for suspension, slightly dam., cracks, paint rubbed off

H: 52,5 cm
H: 20.7 inch

Provenance
Eckert, Munich, Germany

Literature
Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. I, Köln 1995, ill. 242

Sold.

27 Post-shaped sculpture with two anthropomorphic heads

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Korewori

wood, encrusted dark brown patina, the natural form of the tree trunk with two crutches recognizable, carved with two anthropomorphic heads arranged one upon the other, curvilinear ornaments and diadem-like crowning, slightly dam., on metal plate; presumably depicting a kind of "earth mother", called "tunegatsir" or "gergar".

H: 97 cm
H: 38.2 inch

Provenance
collected in situ

Literature
Kaufmann, Christian, Korewori - Magische Kunst aus dem Regenwald, Basel 2003, ill. 118

Sold.

28 Yam mask "silgu"

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Maprik

lygodium netting, polychrome paint, depicting a stylized mask face, crowned by a diadem-like head ornament, min. dam., minor missing parts, slight traces of abrasion; masks of that kind were used when the "big yam" was harvested. The fruit was looked upon as a spiritual being and was adorned with such masks and feathers of the white cockatoo.

H: 77 cm
H: 30.3 inch

Literature
Aumann, Georg, Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Neu Guinea, Coburg 1986, p. 74, ill. 154

Price: 750 - 1500 €

29 Two food bowls

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Ramu River

wood, dark brown patina, each of them lancet-shaped, rising from flat bases, handles in openwork design, in shape of stylized crocodiles, raised compartments with incised curvilinear ornaments, strongly encrusted on the inside, traces of use

L: 80 cm & 53 cm
L: 31.5 inch & 20.9 inch

Provenance
Michael Beisert, Hamburg, Germany (collected in situ 1970-80)

Sold.

30 Pillow of a head crest

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea - Ramu River

wood, dark brown patina, lancet-shaped board, on either side carved with ancestor spirit and animal head, incised ornaments on the underside, slightly dam., minor missing parts, legs originally attached with rotan (now missing)

B: 54 cm
B: 21.3 inch

Literature
Aumann, Georg, Kunst und Kunsthandwerk aus Neu Guinea, Coburg 1986, p. 97

Price: 700 - 1400 €