20th C. Papua New Guinea Black Palm Wood Tapa Beater

About Auction

Live

Arms & Armor | Antiquity to Modern Day

By Artemis Gallery

Nov 12, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-11-12 12:00:00 2020-11-12 12:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Arms & Armor | Antiquity to Modern Day https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/arms-armor-antiquity-to-modern-day-6023
Specialty auction featuring axes, mace heads, swords, spears, various types of armor, and more! Many different cultures and price ranges. Great for first-time buyers, seasoned collectors, dealers, and that hard to buy for person on your holiday shopping list. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

View Full Catalog (299)

• Lot Description
  Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Ramu River region, early 20th century. Skillfully carved from black palm wood, a tapa beater that features a fine carving of a zoomorphic visage at one end - perhaps that of a crocodile presenting ears or eyes raised in relief, a long snout with a nose that is also delineated in relief as well as an open mouth below. Above this, the beater is meticulously incised, perhaps to represent the skin/coat of the animal, with the lower section presenting repeated nested diamond motifs that each house a "Y" or "T" motif, followed by a cross-hatched section with a pointed end. The animal's face as well as the sides and underside of the beater are nicely painted with black striations. A mesmerizing example! Size: 2.125" W at widest point x 14.5" H (5.4 cm x 36.8 cm)
  
  Tapa is a particular kind of bark cloth that is made in the South Pacific Islands. The cloth is of great social importance and is often given as a gift; however, prior to the introduction of synthetic fabrics, it was also used for everyday wear. The process for making it is complex and almost ritualistic. First, the paper mulberry tree is cut, the bark is stripped, and the inner bark retained and sun dried, then soaked. After this, the bark is beaten using a tool like this one. The sound of the tapa being beaten creates a rhythmic musical backdrop as the work is being done. The strips are then beaten together using plant starch to form a large sheet; the edges of this sheet are then trimmed using a knife or sharp shell. Finally, the tapa sheet is beautifully painted using stencils made from coconut.
  
  Provenance: private Newport Beach, 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.
  
  #142264

  Condition

  Expected age wear with inactive insect wear/loss to the underside as shown. Normal surface wear and nicks/chips/scuffs to high-pointed areas. Still, the incised and painted decoration are strong.
• 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 %