A Finely Carved ‘Boni’ Neck-Rest

A Rare and Finely Carved Egyptian Wooden Headrest with a Carved Head to both Sides Representing the God ‘Bes’ (Protector of the Homestead) above Carved...

A Rare and Exceptional Carved Headrest ‘Kali Hahapo’ Excellent colour and patina Wood, sennet (coconut fibre), glass beads Tonga Late 18th / Early 19th Century SIZE: 19cm high, 5...

A Rare and Historically Important Artefact Recovered from HMS Adventure in 1775 after Captain James Cook’s Second Voyage to the Pacific A ‘coconut husker’ made by a ship’s carpenter aboard HMS Adventure in the style and design of a Native Islander’s ethnographical ‘coconut husker’ An engraved and inscribed copper plaque: A memento from The Sandwich Islands Coconut Husker used aboard HMS Adventure and recovered from The Royal Dockyard Deptford 1775 Oak, iron, brass, copper, handmade iron screws Fine rich colour and patina England / Sandwich Island 18th Century SIZE: 15.5cm high, 49.5cm long, 20cm wide (max) - 6¹⁄₈ ins high, 19½ ins long, 7⁷⁄₈ ins wide (max) Provenance: Found in a Scottish attic after centuries of lying hidden in a crate Ex Private Scottish collection Captain James Cook’s second voyage aboard the Resolution and accompanied by HMS Adventure set sail in July 1772. The discovery of the southern eight islands of the Sandwich Islands group was in 1775. The given name was chosen in honour of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty. The copper plaque and inscription however should not be read as The Sandwich Islands ‘Owhyhee’ (The Hawaiian Islands) which were later discovered on January 18th, 1778, on Captain Cook’s third voyage. Rather the inscription refers to ‘South Sandwich Islands’ lying to the south east of South Georgia and only renamed later with the word ‘South’ to distinguish them from the ‘Sandwich Islands’ now known as the Hawaiian Islands. Not withstanding during Cook’s second voyage he visited Easter Island, Tahiti, Society Islands, Niue, Tonga, New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Norfolk Islands, Palmerston Island and South Georgia. The crew onboard having been exposed to various types of ‘coconut huskers’ adapted those designs into the example we now see, having been rescued from HMS Adventure in 1775. A rare example of 18th century cross...

A Rare Anthropomorphic Tsonga Headrest An old paper label: ‘African Pillow Bt. Webster. Sep 1897. P.’ Fine colour and patina through use Wood, pigment, paper label Zimbabwe 19th...

A Rare Wood Ear Ornament With old collectors label ‘Ear Wood. Paraquay’ Wood Paraguay 19th Century Size: 6cm dia., 3.5cm deep - 2¼ ins dia., 1¼ ins deep Published: Steven Phe...

A Rare Spirit Mask ‘Barak’ or ‘Yamburai Parak’ Wood, remains of polychrome Eastern Sepik Province, New Guinea Late 19th - early 20th Century SIZE: 45cm high, 35cm deep - 17¾ ins high, 13¾ ins deep Originally these masks were brightly coloured. However, after many years of exposure within the ceremonial houses the colour faded away through use and weathering. The mask was traditionally worn by a dancer whose plant fibre costume completely covered him, and was associated with an important male mythical being. The Barak (sometimes spelled ‘barag’ or ‘brag’) were situated to the west of the Sepik River. The Sepik River was first explored in 1885 by Otto Fisch. He wrote of the regions cultural diversity and beauty of the villages that he saw on the banks of the river over which towered the ‘men’s houses’. In the early 20th century collectors of primitive art were astounded at the sheer quantity of marvellous objects to be found in this region and the extraordinary inventiveness of the forms in this difficult swampy terrain. Provenance: Ex UK Art Market Ex Private collection CF ‘New Guinea Art...

A fine shona head rest neck rest Raised on a single central pillar finely carved with geometric designs Shona Zimbabwe Measures: Height 5 inches, width 6...

A fine Zulu head rest neck rest South Africa Raised on central pillars with geometric lozenge shaped carving all over. Measures: 22 x 14 x 5 cm approx. Period Early 20th century Ex U...

This beautifully carved title stool, from the Gogo culture in Tanzania, features a wonderful looped and adjoining structure. Dating back to the mid-twentieth century, this fine examp...

This early twentieth-century small chair displays a beautiful form. Typically low to the ground, such chairs are found among the Dan and Baule cultures in the Ivory Coast. Carved fro...

Zulu Tribal carved wood Snuff Container, South Africa A finely carved snuff container with finely carved incised great geometric designs, a great example of the detailed work the Zu...

This fine mid-twentieth-century bowl, from the Lozi culture in Zambia, would have been traditionally used to serve and store food. The bowl's base has been made from a single piece of wood, and two beautifully carved ducks decorate the lid. Animals depicted on Lozi bowls were often species that could be found inhabiting the shores of the Zambezi River...