Pacific Islands Folk Art

Vanuatu Fernwood Grade Ritual Figure, Ambrym Island. A sculpture carved from a solid section of the fibrous trunk of a tree fern composed of aerial roots surrounding a woody core, in...

A superbly executed carved and painted Crocodile Headrest from the Sepik region of Papua new Guinea The crocodile image finely carved in linear form with serrated tail with the cane Legs, the crocodile is revered and is a important part of the mythology of the Sepik region and features heavily in Sepik art...

Papua New Guinea: Talipun, Boiken, Sepik River Region  Northern Papua New Guinea, 20th Century  A fine example of the rich cultural heritage of Papua New ...

Impressively carved from a single block of wood, this monumental male spirit or ancestor figure originates from the Middle Sepik region of Papua New Guinea. The figure combines stron...

A rare and important Oceanic Papuan Asmat tribal carved ancestral sago bowl (also known as a platter, serving shield and tray) crafted in the likes of the...

A ritual artifact from the tribe of the Asmat poeple, an ethnic group of New Guinea living in the Papua province of Indonesia and South-western regions of Papua New Guinea, bis or bisj pole is carved out of a wild Mangrove tree and can reach a stunning height Their carvings depict stacked human and animal figures standing and on top always phallic symbols, in the shape of a canoe prow. Bis poles...

Two Oceanic ceremonial weapons from PNG highlands circa 20th century. It consists of two pieces. The first is an ax with a wood shaft and a flat elongated he...

Early 20th century abstract tapa bark cloth from western Samoa with a royal coat of arms design. Hand-painted in deep brownish-black tones using traditional ‘o‘a sap blended with ch...

This striking early 20th century tapa bark cloth from Western Samoa and the greater Tongan cultural sphere is a rare and powerful example of Pacific Island textile artistry. Hand-pai...

Late 19th-early 20th Bailer shell pectoral, Highlands, possibly Mendi People, Papua New Guinea These large shell pectorals were worn ceremonially by men and women in Papua New Guine...

Early 20th Century Shield, Wahgi Valley, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea This large, post contact, shield is traditionally decorated in bold colors with a central circle. This ...

Early 20th century abstract tapa bark cloth from western Samoa with a royal coat of arms design. Hand-painted in deep brownish-black tones using traditional ‘o‘a sap blended with ch...

This rare antique Kukukuku (pronounced "cookah-cookah") war club is from the remote Morobe Province located within the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The head is carved from...

This piece is an excellent example of an adornment used by Abelam warriors to frighten their enemies. They are held in a warrior’s mouth for courage and to intimidate their adversary...

A Mendi 'Compensation' or 'Revenge' Doll, traditionally made with pandanus leaves, bilum string, shells, wood, seeds and objets trouve with pigments. These dolls represent individua...

Tapa dance shield. Baining People, New Britain, Papua New Guinea. First half, 20th century Pounded mulberry bark painted with natural pigments Measure...

Surrealist carved Koa wood vase with a hand form "holding" the vessel. Early 20th century dada works by those such as Marcel Duchamp would have certainly found kinship in the concept...

Sepik River (Keram River tributary), Papua New Guinea Ancestral Bust (Male Ancestor Figure) Wood, with age cracks and dark matte patina Height: 24 cm, base diameter 10.5 cm Period: M...

Early woven painted basketry yam mask from Papua New Guinea. Bug eyed or bird faced mask with heavy incrustation from many years of use, a striking mask that ...

Gunstock shaped war club ‘Sali’. Ironwood root carved with traditional motifs. An excellent example, mounted on a custom stand in patinated bronze. Measure...

Decorative coral sculpture. The coral is from the 1970s and has a beautiful light colored green shade. Medium size coral sculpture.

An Unusual Polynesian Fighting Club of Tapered ‘Pole’ Form Decorated all over with a geometric design and ‘glyph’ type motifs Dark glossy patina, excellent colour, retaining the or...

A Tonga Pakipaki war club, Polynesia, 18th century An exceptional ironwood war club originating from Tonga, Polynesia. 18th century and hand carved with complex geometric patterns running the length of the shaft. 4 human and 1 botanical glyphs and a extra carving, see details in picture 2 The Tongan war club...

Probably Papua New Guinea, or Borneo, Dayak, late 19th/early 20th century H. approx. 12 cm (incl. stand, each) Provenance: Private collection, Flanders

Papua New Guinea, Central Highlands, Huli people, 1st half 20th century Crafted from the wearer’s own hair and adorned with colorful bird-of-paradise feathers, flowers, scarab beetl...

An Unusual Polynesian Fighting Club With a superb geometric upper section and unusual spiral twist grip Dark glossy patina and excellent colour, with a lug to the butt and ‘old’ pa...

A monumental, rare and important Oceanic Papuan Asmat People tribal carved war shield from the first half of the 20th century, collected from the coast of the headhunting tribe in Papua New Guinea, a Provincial Indonesian island in the mid 20th century. Among the Asmat, war shields are the most powerful symbolic element of a warrior's equipment, and have many layers of meaning. Traditionally, they were functional items used to protect warriors in battle by deflecting an enemy's spears and arrows. The carved and painted images on the surface of the shields were also intended to frighten the enemy and symbolize the power of the ancestors. Ancestral imagery appears on multiple forms of Asmat art...

A single Yua Wenga currency from the early 20th century on custom iron stand. This antique tribal currency piece from Papua New Guinea has been carved ...

Papua New Guinea standing male figure carved hardwood fragment, possibly from canoe? Back broken away and then cut and smoothed (probably by original baser) Based on period block of...

This rare antique Kukukuku (pronounced "cookah-cookah") war club originates from the Morobe Province, which is a very remote area located within the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Gu...

A well preserved Yam Ancestor mask professionally presented on a museum quality acrylic display stand. The mask was a classic tribal art piece from Abela...

A Papua New Guinea yam festival mask of a horn-billed bird from the mid-20th century. This vintage ceremonial mask, also referred to as a baba mask, originates from the Abelam people...

A fine, older Melanesian ebony wood carving. From the Trobriand Islands. In the form of a crouching tree kangaroo (black dorcopsis) with geometric...

A rare Papua 'Gope' Spirit board from the Schulze Westrum collection New Guinea, Papua Gulf, probably Urama people, late 19th–early 20th century H. 114 x W. 27 cm Provenance: - Co...

Abstract and anthropomorphic large figure from the Pie River, located to the east of the Era River. Abstract, anthropomorphic form stands on separate legs with dynamic varying outline, wide hips, and torso leading straight to a rounded head. Figure represents Irivake, the ancestor hero who is considered as the founder of headhunting, also believed to have climbed to the sky and to command lightning. It is enlivened with various curvilinear details highlighted with red and white pigments. The back appears with a collection number in red, and the following: Ipigau (village), Upper Pie River, Papua, P63.20. This is a 'later example', not a first generation piece with several age cracks. It has likely seen field use, but not extensive field use. Provenance: Private New Jersey Collection, ex. Michael Rockefeller...

Mid to late 20th century incised bamboo comb, Huon Gulf, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea This large incised comb is typical of the bamboo combs of the Huon Gulf area. This parti...

A pair of decoratively carved wood splash boards from the southeastern region of Papua, New Guinea, presented on custom stands. This pair of vintage tribal boards have been carved fr...

Papua New Guinea standing figure from the Bioma peoples with raised designs, stylized classic face, and additional face in stomach. Mounted on custom metal and wood base. Traces of...

An Oceanic "Gope" Papuan ancestral spirit board, 20th century, collected from the Gulf Province, Papua, New Guinea, Kerewa or Hohao village tribe. Hand...

Oceanic Schouten islands Pounder Papua New Guinea A Fine old hard wood Pounder or pestle with a standing female figure from the schouten islands off the north coast of Papua new Gui...

Santa Cruz, Nendö, late 19th/early 20th century Retaining an original leaf in which these coils were wrapped. L. 72 cm (stretched out) Diam. 34 cm (roll) One of the most remarkabl...

"Club, Kanak Bird Beak (kana), 19th Century, New Caledonia" 19th-Century Kanak War Club (Kana) Origin: New Caledonia (Kanak People, Melanesia) Date: 19th century Material: Hardwood (...

A striking and culturally rich Samoan bark cloth textile (siapo), dating to the late 19th to early 20th century CE. Measuring approximately 120 x 130 cm, this impressive work was cra...

"Large Ceremonial Wooden Bowl – Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea" Large Ceremonial Wooden Bowl – Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea Late 19th – early 20th century Exceptional an...

A very exceptional bridal money as well in shape as in dimensions.

This belt is a traditional ceremonial men's ornament, knotted from a strong heavy handmade cord and showing a dark patina vegetable dye. Two rows of cowries are used to cover the su...

Large dark reddish brown carved wood mask with underlying traces of red pigment, from New Guinea Sepik River Area. Strong downward looking expression, carved fringe edges. Signs of...

mid-20th century Tami Islands Papua new guinea wooden feast bowl Of classic form, each end carved with raised and incised imagery depicting stylized sea cr...

A Polynesian ironwood Gata waka or war club Fiji, probably 18th century or earlier Measures: Height. 97 cm Including museum-quality powder-coated stand. Provenance: Private collection, France Polynesian culture is traditionally a culture of power and prestige, and there was a fine line between battle and ceremony. Warrior people par excellence, the Fijians had at their disposal a large panoply of weapons, each for a specific use. The elegant Gata are called gun-sticks by Europeans due to the recognizable form. However, they are designed after a snake, gata in Fijian language. The Ula throwing clubs...

This striking early 20th century tapa bark cloth from Western Samoa and the greater Tongan cultural sphere is a rare and powerful example of Pacific Island textile artistry. Hand-pai...

A fantastic hand-carved primitive wood totem sculpture/ figure from the Sepik River people (Ambunti and Wewak) of Papua New Guinea. This work, which features tusked ancestral spirit ...

Yua Shell Currency, Bride’s Price Sepik River Region, Papua New Guinea Hand carved from a clam shell Measures: 7.5 x 8.5 in / 19 x 22 cm Height on c...

Tapa cloth made from mulberry fiber with natural pigments, Fiji, mid-20th century.

Yua Shell Currency, Bride’s Price Sepik River Region, Papua New Guinea Hand carved from a clam shell Measures: 7 x 7.5 in / 18 x 19 cm Height on cus...

A delightful and fanciful Chambri Lake fired and pigmented pottery vessel with applied molded face design, mid 20th century Aibom village, Chambri Lake, Middle Sepik River region, Pa...

Small carved darkened wood bird faced mask with long nose/beak. Smaller squatting figure with curled arms carved on forehead. From Sepik River Area of Papua New Guinea. Signs of ...

Group of three early Papua New Guinea Sepik miniature tightly woven raffia yam mask with areas of heavy yellow and black pigments. Different Bird imagery in...

Large and exceptional vintage tribal carved green jade/nephrite axe from Sentani, Papau New Guinea. The Axe is mounted in a custom made bronze base and is...

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik tightly woven raffia mask from a talipun bride price currency piece. Old very encrusted surface. Areas of red and other pigments. Wonderful heart shaped...

"Large Fijian Bowl On Four Feet – Fiji Islands, Melanesia – 19th / Early 20th Century" Impressive traditional wooden bowl from the Fiji Islands, carved from a single block of solid h...