DM0043SI
ASMAT PIGMENT DISH more...
DM0082SM CUIRASSE TELEFOLMINmore...
Miscellaneous PAGE 2 HOMEPAGE
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| DM00169SM (detail) more... | DM00169SM MIDDLE SEPIK LARGE STOOL more... | DM00168SM SEPIK CROCODILE STOOL more... | DM00173SM GOGODALA BASKET more... | DM00121SM PALMWOOD DIGGING STICK more... | DM00121SM PALMWOOD DIGGING STICK more... |
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DM0043SI ASMAT PIGMENT DISH more... |
DM0043SI (Detail) more... | DM00193SM MATTY ISLANDS WUVULU SWORD more... | DM00163SM ADMIRALTY ISLANDS LADEL more... | DM00162SM POSSIBLY ADMIRALTY or MATTY ISLANDS more... | DM00161SM POSSIBLY ADMIRALTY or MATTY ISLANDS more... |
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| DM00109SI MARIND ANIM DRUM (kundu) more... | DM00108SI MARIND ANIM DRUM(kundu) more... | DM00122SM PIG KILLING SPEAR SEPIK more... | DM00122SM PIG KILLING SPEAR SEPIK more... | DM0082SM CUIRASSE TELEFOLMIN more... | DM0082SM CUIRASSE TELEFOLMINmore... |
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| DM00138SM CUIRASSE SEPIK RIVER REGION more... | DM00138SM CUIRASSE SEPIK RIVER REGION more... | DM00138SM CUIRASSE SEPIK RIVER REGION more... | DM00120SN MUSTANG BOOK COVER more... | DM00120SN MUSTANG BOOK COVERmore... | DM00213SM HIGHLANDS DRUM (kundu) more... |
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| DM00208SM POSSIBLY ADMIRALTY LIME CONTAINER more... | DM00103SI TIMORESE LIME CONTAINER more... |
Catalogue #_DM_00169SM____________
Item _ LARGE SEPIK RIVER STOOL
Dimensions: Ht.=45cm W.=65cm D.=147cm
Description (physical):
Wooden stool with carved faces on the sides and top decorated in orange yellow white ochres.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This stool is of very large dimensions. It is from the Middle Sepik and was used in the ceremonial house for the youg male initiates to sit on during their initiation.An excellen description of the ceremony that this piece was made for is in "Reflections Of The Sepik" by Ron and Georgie McKie on page 18 paragraph 3.They are not made today and the male initiates sit on an upturned canoe. This stool is a very typical shape but the dimensions make it for ceremonial use.
Similar sculptures illustrated:
H.Kelm Kunst Vom Sepik 1966 Vol 1 cat# 468
LARGE SEPIK RIVER CROCODILE STOOL
Catalogue #_DM_00168SM____________
Item _LARGE SEPIK RIVER CROCODILE STOOL
Dimensions: Ht.= 54cm W.= 62cm D.=190cm
Description (physical):
Wooden stool with human figures and crocodile with shell eyes and painted in ochres. Male figure is lying on the back of the head of the crocodile.. The side panels have a figure carved in relief on each side that faces out between the crocodiles abstract legs.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This stool is from the Middle Sepik and is related to the legend of how the Sepik was created. God made man and he was carried on the back of the crocodile.The crocodile moving created the Sepik Plains.Man became tired of always being carried and slayed the crocodile. He immediately regretted the killing and cried creating the Sepik river with his tears. This is a very long sculpture and has been used by me as a table for back garden picnics many times.
Similar sculptures illustrated:
H.Kelm Kunst Vom Sepik 1966 Vol 1 cat# 470
Catalogue #_DM_00173SM____________
Item _GOGODALA BASKET
Dimensions: Ht.=63cm W.= 35cm D.=35cm
Description (physical):
Woven basket made from cane with yellow white, brown, and black ochres painted over the top.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This basket is not old and one in the Australian Museum is very similar but with different clan motifs painted on the outside and was collected only in 1978. I dont know when this one was collected but it would be around the same time. They form part of the Gogodala cultural revival which occurred due to the destruction of all longhouses and artefacts when the people were converted to a branch of Christianity.
I have read that they are used by male initiated men but I am at a loss for the moment on the source of that information.
Similar sculptures illustrated:
ART PAPOU 2000 cat# 235
Catalogue #_DM_00121SM____________
Item _ WOSERA YAM DIGGING STICK
Dimensions: Ht.= 199cm W.= 8cm D.=3cm
Description (physical):
Black palmwood stick with a curved back and straighter front. The front has a figure reminicent of Edvard Munch's the "Scream" and has a carving on the top
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This is a yam digging stick. The men have special yam gardens and they have these long decorated sticks with ancestor figures usually carved on the top. The sticks are used to dig out a hole that the yam can grow into. The yams are then part of a ceremony with the longest yams being highly prized.
I bought this from a colleague who's father Leslie Pople collected it when he worked in PNG in the 1959. He was the chief engineer of PAT an Airline company in Papua at the time. He worked in PNG until 1962\3. This piece was acquired from a plantation owner but the plantation was not in the Wosera area so the plantation owner either must have travelled to the area.One of his workers could have been from the area or he may have traded or bought it from someone who had acquired it in the area.
It is a great piece with a lovely figure carved in relief who is extremely expressive.
Similar sculptures illustrated:
None at present that are evidently as old as this item but a younger one in Meyers book Oceanic Art 1995
Catalogue #_DM__0043SI___________
Item _ ASMAT DISH
Dimensions: Ht.= 38cm W.= 6cm D.=4.5cm
Description (physical):
Wooden dish with a human head at each end. The heads face opposite directions. The side of the dish is carved in zig zag. The wood is probably iron wood, which is a nice deep brown colourede wood.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This item could be used for holding sago grubs which are eaten during ceremonies by the Asmat people. It may also have been made to hold pigments used in painting artefacts. It could also havebeen used for both these purposes.
Catalogue #_DM_00193SM____________
Item _ WUVULU SWORD
Dimensions: Ht.= 66cm (all) 43cm(sword) W.= 8cm D.=1cm
Description (physical):
Wooden knife or sword with Shark teeth blade along the side held in place with fishing string (nylon?) The end has a chainlink carved out of the handle of the sword.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This is what I call an early tourist piece. I acquired it from the descendant of a former Australian Naval Officer who was made Governor of the Admiralty islands just after the Second World War. He travelled around the area as part of his official functions and collected a variety of artefacts. Three of which were the most fantastic canoes which I regret selling to a French collector when I sold objects from the collection.
Similar sculptures illustrated:
I have seen them illustrated in a couple of Sothebys catalogues from the late seventies early eighties
ADMIRALTY ISLAND CEREMONIAL LADEL
Catalogue #_DM_00163SM____________
Item _ ADMIRALTY ISLANDS CEREMONIAL LADEL
Dimensions: Ht.= 27cm W.= 15.5cm
Description (physical):
Wooden scroll motif above and attached to the side of a half coconut shell. The item has native repair.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This item was part of the collection of a former Governor of the Admiralty Islands just after the Second World War. I acquired the item from his daughter.
Similar sculptures illustrated:
Thirty Years in The South Seas by Parkinson
Bois Sculpte Des Mers Du Sud pieces from the Geneva Ethnographic Museum collection
ADMIRALTY OR MATTY ISLANDS CLUB
Catalogue #_DM__00162SM___________
Item ADMIRALTY OR MATTY ISLANDS CLUB_
Dimensions: Ht.= 115cm W.= 49cm D.=7cm
Description (physical):
Wood and turtle bone. The turtle bone attchaed to the club by wooden pegs
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
ADMIRALTY OR MATTY ISLANDS CLUB
Catalogue #_DM__00161SM___________
Item ADMIRALTY OR MATTY ISLANDS CLUB _
Dimensions: Ht.= 96cm W.= 35cm D.= 5cm
Description (physical):
Wood and turtle bone. The turtle bone attchaed to the club by wooden pegs
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
Catalogue #_DM_00109SI____________
Item _MARIND ANIM KUNDU (DRUM)
Dimensions: Ht.=121 cm W.=38 cm D.=31cm
Description (physical):
Wooden carved drum with carvings in shallow relief. Painted in black, white and red pigments. The top has an animal skin membrane which is damaged.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This drum was bought here in Sydney at a general auction. The same was true of the next item DM00108SI
Similar sculptures illustrated:
OCEANIC ART 1995 A. Meyer page 92 cat# 77
ART PAPOU 2000 cat#233
OAS OCEANIC AND INDONESIAN ART ed h. Beran 1998 page 44
Catalogue #_DM_00108SI____________
Item _ MARIND ANIM KUNDU (DRUM)
Dimensions: Ht.= cm W.= cm D.=cm
Description (physical):
Wooden carved drum with carvings in shallow relief. Painted in black, white and red pigments. The top has an lizard skin membrane which is damaged.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This drum was bought here in Sydney at a general auction.The same was true of the previous item cat#DM00109SI
Similar sculptures illustrated:
OCEANIC ART 1995 A. Meyer page 92 cat# 77
ART PAPOU 2000 cat#233
OAS OCEANIC AND INDONESIAN ART ed h. Beran 1998 page 44
Catalogue #_DM_00122SM____________
Item _SEPIK RIVER PIG KILLING SPEAR
Dimensions: Ht.= 244cm W.= 7cm D.=4cm
Description (physical):
Wooden spear with metal blade and held in place by metal wire. Scroll motif carved in relief
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This is called a pig killing spear. Pigs in PNG are very prized. This stick is for killing for ceremonies in the Middle Sepik. The handle has a notch to tell the person holding the stick just how far he has left on the stick. A pig is quite a scary animal to kill and can be quite ferocious.
This stick is a particularly old one.
Similar sculptures illustrated:
None known at present
TELEFOLMIN BODY ARMOUR (CUIRASS)
Catalogue #_DM0082SM__________
Item TELEFOLMIN BODY ARMOUR (CUIRASS)_
Dimensions: Ht.= 41cm W.= 28cm D.=28cm
Description (physical):
Cane woven body armour with ridge down the middle of the chest. The arms are notches and are squared.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This item is beautifully patinaed and has a lovely feel to it. These are used by the Dani and Telefolmin people to stop the arrows from piercing the chest area. The book Gardens of war show the Dani people having a fight and there are photos of a warrior who gets hit in the chest with an arrow. He has no cuirass and subsequently dies. It is clear that the fights in the mountains are fatal.
The Dani also have cuirass and it can be hard to work out the people who originally made the item. The weave is the same in both cases (see DM00138SM for a Sepik example with a different weave)
Similar sculptures illustrated:
OAS OCEANIC AND INDONESIAN ART ed h. Beran 1998 page #94
Catalogue #_DM_00138SM____________
Item _SEPIK BODY ARMOUR (CUIRASS)
Dimensions: Ht.=38cm L.= 38cm W.=31cm
Description (physical):
Made completely of rattan bound around a wicker frame. Frame still robust and maintains shape.The way of manufacture is different to catalogue DM00082SM in that the rattan is bound over rattan /cane and not woven .
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This body armour or cuirass is used by some groups in New Guinea and West Papua to protect against arrows where shields are not used. The Dani people are one such tribe and almost all cuirasses tend to be attributed to them if the source is unknown.
This cuirass is more likely from a New Guinea source than from a West Papuan one. For a near identical cuirass see a photo on page 25 of 'Oceanic Headrests" Gallery Meyer 2004.The photo is taken by Charles Martin showing E.W. BRANDES with artifacts collected on his U.S. Department of agriculture trip when searching for disease resistant sugar cane in PNG. The photo was originally published in The National Geographic Magazine page331,vol.LVI.no.3,Sept 1929.
These cuirass are disappearing from mountain regions as the use of modern weapons takes the place of traditional fighting weapons.The cuirass would be attached to the body of the warrior by strings over the shoulder. See catalogue number DM00082SM for Telefomin speaking peoples cuirass
Acquired in 2001
MUSTANG BOOK COVER FROM NEPAL OR TIBET
Catalogue #_DM_00120SN____________
Item _MUSTANG BOOK COVER FROM NEPAL OR TIBET
Dimensions: Ht.= 76cm W.= 23cm D.=3cm
Description (physical):
Wooden book cover with shallow relief writing carved on the top and one side has a row of Buddistvas and sacred objects gilded in cold gold
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This book cover is one of two in my collection. This one dates from the ninteenth century and was used to protect the prayers that were kept in the monasteries in Mustang /Nepal border region on the Tibetan Plain. The one gilded edge is on the outward facing edge when the prayer book is on the shelf. Thus the Abbot sees this edge as he is removing the piece from the shelf.
The other I own is a much earlier one. It has three illustrations on Misc page1 where but has the catalogue number DM00119SN . It is probably seventeenth century and hasa the remnants of red on the writing. It has been reused in the monastery as a butter candle holder on an altar. The reverse has been hollowed out for this purpose. I love the fact that nothing is wasted and that everything can be reused for something else.
Both articles were bought in Nepal 2000
Catalogue #_DM_00213SM____________
Item _HIGHLANDS DRUM(KUNDU)
Dimensions: Ht.= 99cm W.= 15cm D.= 15cm
Description (physical):
Wooden drum with nuts for percussion sounds by leaping dancer. Cuscus skinned has been damaged. Side of drum has split.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
These drums are used at the Goroko Show and at other Highland festivals and ceremonies. I am unsure of the ethnic group that would have made and used this item but it is quite like those from the Mendi Valley. This drum or Kundu has a smooth glossy side through use.
ADMIRALTY ISLANDS LIME CONTAINER
Catalogue #_DM_00208SM____________
Item _ADMIRALTY ISLANDS LIME CONTAINER
Dimensions: Ht.= 15cm W.= 6m D.= 6cm
Description (physical):
Gourd with hole at top containing some lime and burnt poker work marks on the sides.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
This piece was bought from the descendant of a former Governor of The Admiralty Islands just after the Second World War. There is a great example complete with stopper in the book Arts Of The South Seas the collections of The Barbier Mueller Museum on page 242
Similar sculptures illustrated:
Catalogue #_DM_00103SI____________
Item _ TIMORESE LIME CONTAINER
Dimensions: Ht.= 17cm W.= 4cm D.= 4cm
Description (physical):
Bamboo container with red and black scroll like motifs all around. Remains inside of lime.
Description (ethnographic/ historic including provenance)
I bought this piece in 2000 when a huge batch of these were imported by someone to Australia from East Timor which was then still part of Indonesis. They were common in all the Sydney markets