19th C. Maori Wood Orator's Walking Staff - Tokotoko

About Auction

Live

Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic

By Artemis Gallery

Feb 13, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-02-13 10:00:00 2020-02-13 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-4848
An important one-day auction featuring museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

View Full Catalog (411)

• Lot Description
  Oceania, New Zealand, Maori people, ca. 19th century CE. Wow! An incredible hand carved, dark wooden tokotoko, long and straight aside from a gently curved upper end. The tokotoko is a traditional Maori walking stick used by an orator. Carved along its full length aside from its bottom tip, it features: a high relief tiki figure at its curved upper end, bent legs projecting outward with openwork behind its back and under its legs; a mythical bird/human chimera figure known as a manaia, with openwork behind its beak/tongue, at its center; and just above its base, a lizard with openwork under its chin and between its legs and tail. Interspersed between these creatures and carved over their forms are triple haehae lines and dragon tooth notching, characteristic motifs of Maori art that are related to tattoos. Size: 1.4" W x 38.25" H (3.6 cm x 97.2 cm); 40.25" H (102.2 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  Maori wood carving is an incredible art form, its practitioners rightly recognized as masters. Their woodcarving tradition lasted in many areas into the later nineteenth century despite colonization and missionaries. Carving schools in several areas of the country kept the Maori tradition alive. Carvers used local trees, and a prayer known as a karakia would be said prior to cutting them down, thus showing respect for the forest. Massive wooden architectural elements, such as those still preserved at Whakarewarewa, reflect similar carved elements to those on this stick. Indeed, the tokotoko is designed to have motifs associated with the Wharenui, or meeting house in a community. The Kaumatua in the family - an older person who is the keeper of knowledge and passes it on orally - may hold the tokotoko while speaking with the people gathered in the Wharenui for a Hui (gathering).
  
  See another example of a tokotoko that may have been presented to Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) during his visit to New Zealand as part of his tour of the Empire in 1920 in the Royal Collection Trust, Grand Vestibule of Windsor Castle, England (RCIN 69423).
  
  Provenance: private Nevada, USA collection; purchased from Casey Conway, Kingman, Arizona, USA, around 2005; ex-private Southern California, USA collection
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #152209

  Condition

  Rich patina on all surfaces. Small chips, nicks, and scratches commensurate with age and a stabilized fissure along the bottom openwork area. Otherwise in excellent condition with form and detail beautiful preserved.
• Shipping Info

  • All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.

• Buyer's Premium
  • 26.50 %