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Shell Currency Yua Bride's Price, Papua New Guinea
About the Item
Yua Shell Currency, Bride’s Price
Sepik River Region, Papua New Guinea
Hand carved from a clam shell
8 x 9.25 in / 20.5 x 23.5 cm
Height on custom display stand: 11.5 in. / 32 cm
A yua's purpose is to buy a bride.
This style of currency evokes time immemorial. The creamy softness of the painstakingly worked shell, a double circular form found in objects dating back to prehistory, combined with the organic, amoebic qualities naturally present in the material and the hand-hewn attributes, results in an ethereal beauty.
The size and the profile's fineness determine the value. The process of creating each piece is by meticulously carving a giant clam with bamboo and sand. As with all fine art, the artist's degree of prowess directly relates to its value. The ultimate expression of skill in this type of currency is thinness. The artist risks everything by going too far. This piece is an excellent example.
- Dimensions:Height: 8 in (20.32 cm)Width: 9.25 in (23.5 cm)Depth: 0.625 in (1.59 cm)
- Style:Other (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Mid-20th Century or Earlier
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Point Richmond, CA
- Reference Number:
About the Seller
4.9
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Established in 1999
1stDibs seller since 2015
600 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 2 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: San Francisco, CA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
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