Composite Breastplate, Civanovonovo Fiji Islands, 19th century
Breastplates made of mother of pearl with segments of sperm whale tooth attached, called civavonovono, or civanovonovo, were an important royal adornment worn by Fijian chiefs. The raw materials used for the pectorals are significant. Plates are derived from Sperm Whale (physeter catodon) teeth and pieces of Blacklipped Pearl oyster (pinctada margaritifera) shell. Both were favorite materials for body ornaments in several Pacific island groups but here the two are brilliantly combined in a single artifact, the contrasting colour and patina having a powerful visual impact. Given their rarity, beauty and fine workmanship it is not surprising that these civavonovono have always been the nec plus ultra for any collector of tribal jewellery. Provenance: William Schulz, Washington State, USA Kirby Lewis-Wara, Seattle, USA Kenvin Conru, London Reference: Adrienne L. Kaeppler. Polynesia - The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art, University of Hawaii Press, 2010. Diameter: 19 cm
Helmet ornament Maedate Japan, 19th century
Kabuto, which is known as a samurai helmet, first appeared in the 10th century Heian period. In the Edo period, when society became peaceful, armor with a revival of the medieval times became popular, kabutos were made again. Kabuto are often adorned with crests using four types of decorations such as the maedate (frontal decoration), wakidate (side decorations), kashiradate (top decoration), and ushirodate (rear decoration). These can be family crests or sculptural objects representing animals, mythical entities or other symbols. Horns are particularly common, and many kabuto incorporate kuwagata, stylized antlers like here. The kabuto was an important part of the equipment of the samurai, and played a symbolic role as well, which may explain the many Japanese expressions, sayings and codes related to them.
References: Arms and Armor of the Samurai, Ian Bottomley, Anthony Hopson Random House Value Publishing, 1993 Height: 22 cm
Malangan Mask, Tatanua New Ireland, 19th century
A fine example of the prototypical tatanua design, the helmet portion of this mask is composed of a rattan frame with a sagittal crest of light brown fibers; the sides are covered with lime plaster sculpted in curvilinear design; the face is carved from soft wood, pierced through at the eyes and mouth. Two opercula from the seashell Turbo petholatus are set in as eyes. The face painted with white, yellow, red and black pigments in classic Malangan designs; a vail of thin bark cloth hangs from the helmet rim. Collection number "634-82/Hornung(?)/L.949.Nr.4" written on interior
Provenance: Richard Monsein Gallery, Santa Monica, California John and Marian Scott Collection, Manhattan Beach, California, acquired from the above in 1982 Reference: Michael Gunn, Philippe Peltier, New Ireland, Art of the South Pacific, 5 Continents, MusĂŠe du Quai Branly, 2008. Height: 42 cm
Eskimo Wound Plug Alaska, USA, 19th century
A rare and very nice Eskimo wound plug. Made of wood, sea ivory and tufted whiskers. These wound plugs were utilized by Eskimo hunters to insert into the wounds of hunted sea mammals, primarily seals. The plugs were inserted into the wounds and tied in place, to stop the bleeding and to prevent the animal from filling with water and sinking, as it was being pulled to shore behind a kayak. This is because the blood of the animal was utilized along with all other components.
Reference: Charles Miles, Artefacts indiens et esquimaux d'AmĂŠrique du Nord, Regnery Company, Crown Publishers, 1963. Dimensions: 31 cm
Mughal ivory powderhorn India, 17th century
A small carved Mughal ivory powderhorn, made in two sections, mounted with a brass ring, depicting several animals. This flask consists of an ivory container and an ivory lid. When filled with powder, the two parts were held together with pins. A metal lever is attached to the top of the primer: when pressed, this opened a hole at the end of the lid so that the priming powder could be poured into the musket. This powder flask belongs to a group of vessels of similar appearance and high quality, probably produced by a small number of workshops in 17th Century Mughal India. Like others, it depicts animal scenes appropriate for an object associated with armed combat or hunting expeditions. They represent a distinctive group of Mughal ivory carvings that favour naturalism, and were inspired by miniature paintings and fantastical animals that were a popular subject in imperial Mughal workshops. Provenance: Robert Hales, London For a similar object, please see: Ethnographic Objects in the Royal Danish Kunstkammer 1650-1800, Copenhagen 1980, no. 62-64. Historisches Museum Dresden, collection of Elector Johann Georg II of Saxony entered by 1658, no. 439. Dimensions: 20 cm
A Penu food pounder, coral stone Caroline Islands, 19th century
Finely carved, most likely without the use of metal tools, of pale greyishcream fine grained coral and flared cylindrical form; the disc finial with two paired bosses at the rim. These coral limestone pounders in an abstract form appear to be unique to the Chuuk Island in the Carolines. The principal foodstuffs in the islands consist of breadfruit, taro root and pandanus, which were pounded into a paste adn fermented in earth pits a method of storage that was also used in Polynesia.
Provenance: Loed Van Bussel, Amsterdam References: Kaeppler, Adrienne, Artificial Curiosities, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, 1978. Hooper, Steven, Pacific Encounters - Art & Divinity in Polynesia 1760-1860, Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, British Museum Press, 2006. Height: 17,1 cm
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