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Directors James Bruce Warren Joel James Badgery Lee Stone
Contacts Jim Elmslie
Aboriginal & Oceanic Art Specialist
+61407 913 870
Vicki Tsacalos
Aboriginal & Oceanic Art Assistant
+61 02 8212 4100
Email: [email protected]
The Todd Barlin Collection
(Part One)
Monday 17 August 2015, 6pm
On View Thursday 13 August 6pm – 8pm
Friday 14 August 10am – 4pm
Saturday 15 August 10am – 4pm
Sunday 16 August 10am – 4pm
Monday 17 August by appointment
6 Ralph St, Alexandria, NSW 2015
Front Cover: Lot 286
Title Page: Lot 83
Back Cover: Lot 4
*Please Note: All field photos are copyright of Todd Barlin and the South Australian Museum and have been published with
consent from Todd Barlin
Terms & Conditions
For our full terms and conditions please refer to our website or office.
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All absentee and telephone bids must include full contact details
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prior to the auction
Email absentee bids and telephone bids should be sent to:
Fully illustrated catalogue available online
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The Todd Barlin Collection
Over 30 years of collecting...
“The first time I saw Oceanic Art was at the Auckland Museum in 1985. I was overwhelmed by the beauty and magic of
the artworks from the Pacific Islands. When I arrived in Australia, a friend suggested that I should visit Papua New Guinea
and see the people and artists in person. This was advice that changed my life forever. That two month trip to the New
Guinea Highlands and the Sepik River was transformative. I was overwhelmed by the kindness and warmth of the people
and how happy and confident they were in their day to day lives.
That first trip to Papua New Guinea ignited my lifelong interest and interaction with Pacific People; their Art and their
Culture. Over the next 25 years I would make over 40 trips to Papua New Guinea, Indonesian West Papua, Vanuatu and
The Solomon Islands. I would stay in remote villages for days, weeks and even months at a time. It was a chance to get
to know people and let them get to know you. I lived as they did, ate what they had each day and also suffered
problems such as Malaria and Dengue Fever. This was a magical in a pre-digital era - before the internet, mobile phones
or TV exposed remote villages to the outside world. I often stayed for six to eight months a year travelling in remote areas
and for that time it was as if the rest of the world did not exist.
I was often lucky to be in the right place and time to witness the preparation for ceremonies and the making of artworks.
I was able to record some amazing traditional ceremonies. I spent many months living with several cultural groups
including: the Asmat, the Mimika, The Marind Anim on the South Coast of West Papua and around Lake Sentani, and
Geelvink Bay along the North Coast of West Papua. I was also fortunate to spend time in the Sepik River, Southern
Highlands and Enga Provinces of Papua New Guinea and also remote villages in Vanuatu and The Solomon Islands.
Collecting is a passion that needs intense motivation to make a great collection. Many of the artworks in my collection
were acquired in Australia from important historical collections, auctions and by trade or gift. I collected what I liked
visually, and what excited and expanded my imagination. I experience artworks in a physical way. The artworks that I
like most are inspired by images often made of dreams and are highly abstracted. I also find these qualities in nature;
natural formed wood and stone, shells and seed pods, and vines – these also are motifs used in New Guinea Art.
I have had the chance to work with many very dynamic people in the Pacific Arts and Culture Community. I provided
the field documentation and artworks for several important exhibitions: The Asmat & Mimika in 1996 and The Marind
Anim, 1999 both at The Museum of African and Oceanic Art in Paris which is now called The Musee du Quai Branly. As
well as the Monumental Sculptures of West Papua at the Sydney Olympic Arts Festival, 2000 at the Sydney College of the
Arts”
- Todd Barlin, July 2015
Lot 1
Three Old Shell Money Wealth
Items, Solomon Islands, Malaita
Island, 19th Century or very early
20th Century; a multi strand shell
money chest bandolier (torisusu),
together with a seven strand shell
money belt (Fo'o ába), and a very
fine shell money wealth item called
"Barafe" it has 5 loops coils of tiny
fine shell rings.
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
68cm, 90cm, Dia. 25cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 2
Two Old Dogs Teeth Wealth
Ornaments, Ramu Area, a fine
head band with numerous dogs’
teeth and nassa shell trim, together
with a fine dogs teeth chest
ornament
46cm, 44cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 3
Eight Fine Old Barava and Bokolo
Pieces, Western Solomon Islands,
18th - early 19th Century; all on
custom made display stands.
Provenance: Ex. Tebbenham
Collection, Ex BL. Hornshaw
Collection.
9 x 7.5cm - 11 x 11cm (8)
$600-800
Lot 4
A Superb Ancient Barava, Western
Solomon Islands, 18th Century or
earlier; mostly complete with two
large and
impressive figures standing on
circular base. The shell is very thick
and with an ancient patina of the
oldest types of these objects have;
on a custom made display stand.
Provenance: Ex. Tebbenham
Collection, Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
20 x 16cm
$1,500-2,000
Lot 5
Five Fine Old Kap Kap Ornaments,
Boiken Area, the finely carved
designs overlaid bailer shell.
9 - 11cm
$400-600
Lot 6
Seven Ancient Barava Ornaments,
19th Century or earlier; together
with two Kap Kap bases.
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
4 - 12cm, 10 - 11cm (9)
$400-600
Lot 7
A Superb Arawe Pearl Shell Wealth
Object, New Britain, this beautiful
gold lipped shell has shell money
and dogs teeth decorations and
an old woven band. These were
used as a bride price payments
and traditional currency.
60cm
$300-500
Lot 8
Six Old Shell Wealth Ornaments,
Sepik Area, PNG; including old shell
and teeth and trade bead
ornaments.
12 - 45cm (6)
$300-500
Lot 9
Fourteen Early Shell Pendants
"Loanlasi", Malaita and Makira
Islands, Solomon Islands, 18th - early
19th Century; on custom made
display stands, five have incised
stylized frigate Bird designs, the
others with incised fish and abstract
designs, some are incised both
sides.
Provenance: The South Seas
Evangelical Mission Collection late
19th Century.
5 - 6.5 cm (14)
$600-800
Lot 10
Twenty Two Solomon Islands Body
Ornaments, Malaita and Makira
Islands, Eastern Solomon Islands,
19th Century; consisting of six
woven Orchid stem fibre ear
ornaments (fa'i' augwaroa), one
pair in their original bamboo
container, three pairs of flying fox
teeth and beaded ear ornaments
(ai'au), two on custom made
stands, four very early shell ear
ornaments (spool shaped and two
with teeth attachments), two pairs
of decorated cowrie shell hair
ornaments (buli) that were worn in
the hair of men on Malaita and two
shell rings with stylized bird heads at
top.
Provenance: Most from The South
Seas Evangelical Mission Collection
late 19th Century.
4 - 5cm; 21 - 23cm; 4 - 5cm; 5 -
6cm; 7 - 8cm (22)
$600-800
Lot 11
Ten Cut Spiral Conis Shells on
custom stands, Western Solomon
Island, 18th-19th Century; the
smallest and slimmest of the shell
valuables are hokata made from
conis shells. These were less
valuable and used in barter, marital
rituals, as small compensation
transfers and were given to chiefs
by men for the sexual services of
'ritually designated women'. They
were also used to decorate skull
shrines of important men.
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
7 - 15cm
$400-600
Lot 12
Twenty One Pieces Cut Spiral Conis
Shells, Western Solomon Islands,
18th - early 19th Century; the
smallest and slimmest of the shell
are "hokata" made from onus shells.
These were less valuable and used
in barter, marital rituals, as small
compensation transfers and were
given to chiefs by men for the
sexual services of 'ritually
designated women'. They were also
used to decorate skull shrines of
important men.
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
4 - 12cm (21)
$400-600
Lot 13
Five Ancient Barava Ornament
Pieces, Western Solomon Islands,
18th -19th Century; of the old figural
type, two on stands.
Provenance: Ex. Tebbenham
Collection.
8 - 22cm (5)
$400-600
Lot 14
Two Superb Dolphin Teeth
Necklaces, (barulifai'a), Lau
Lagoon Area, Malaita Island,
Solomon Islands, Early 20th Century;
together with a fine shell money
belt also from Malaita Island.
Provenance: The South Seas
Evangelical Mission Collection.
44 x 5cm, 45 x 5cm, 63 x 10cm (3)
$800-1,200
Lot 15
Four Fine Old Shell Money
Armbands (abagwaro), Malaita
Island; together with a belt, Malaita
Island, Solomon Islands.
Provenance: The South Seas
Evangelical Mission Collection late
19th Century.
13 x 8cm, 15 x 8cm, 21 x 13cm; Belt:
54 x 6cm (5)
$400-600
Lot 16
Fourteen Kesa Shell Money,
Western Solomon Islands, 18th -
19th Century; "kesa" is a cylindrical
shell wealth that came in different
sizes and values. It is old, and is said
to have been made by the spirit
Pongo. People preserved kesa by
wrapping them in ivory palm leaves
and burying them in the ground, or
by storing them in caves for safety
from raids. They came in different
denominations, from kalusape, the
highest value, possessed by the
chiefs.
Provenance: Ex. Tebbenham
Collection.
(14)
$600-800
Lot 17
A Superb Pair of Shell Money
Armbands (abagwaro), Malaita
Island, early 20th Century; together
with a fine shell money belt, Malaita
Island, Eastern Solomon Islands.
Provenance: The South Seas
Evangelical Mission Collection late
19th Century.
21 x 12cm, 70 x 5cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 18
Four Old Woven and Shell
Armbands, Madang Area, North
Coast Papua New Guinea, Early
20th Century.
31 x 17cm, 22 x 19cm, 22 x 15cm, 22
x 19cm (4)
$300-500
Lot 19
Six Fine Old Beaded Armbands,
one pair from Admiralty Islands,
three from Eastern Highlands, a shell
and woven armband from Wosera,
Sepik.
16 x 11cm, 11 x 9cm, 15 x 11cm (6)
$400-600
Lot 20
Six Old Ornaments, Solomon
Islands, including: three ancient
whale tooth pendants, pierced at
top and with ancient patina,
together with a necklace of tiny
shell discs (barafe), Malaita, and a
pair of finely woven red fibre
armbands, Malaita.
9cm, 10cm, 11cm, 14cm, 18cm (6)
$400-600
Lot 21
Four Fine Old Woven and Shell
Ornaments (Fofona), Bena Bena
Area, Eastern Highlands, PNG; Early
20th Century.
40 x 32cm, 36 x 27cm, 28 x 26cm, 42
x 36cm (4)
$400-600
Lot 22
Two Fine Old Woven and Shell
Ornaments (Fofona), Bena Bena
Area, Eastern Highlands, PNG, Early
20th Century; together with a fine
old woven and shell armband,
Madang, and Lumi woven and
shell wealth object (Poli).
41 x 35cm, 35 x 31cm; 26 x 20cm,
32 x 18cm (4)
$400-600
Lot 23
Four Fine Old Woven and Shell
Ornaments, New Guinea, including:
two woven and shell bride price
chest ornaments (in the form of
faces), Avitip Area, Upper Sepik
River, together with an Abelam
yam mask, and an Abelam karahut
ornament.
49cm, 50cm, 26cm, 27cm (4)
$400-600
Lot 24
Five Old Nassa Shell and Woven
Ornaments, including: three Lumi
Area (Poli) wealth objects, together
with two nassa shell headbands
from the Eastern Highlands.
31 x 29cm, 28 x 22cm, 37 x 16cm, 39
x 13cm, 51 x 11cm (5)
$300-500
Lot 25
Seven Old Shell Wealth and Body
Ornaments, New Guinea.
11cm, 13cm, 17cm, 23cm, 37cm,
44cm, 58cm (7)
$200-300
Lot 26
Sixteen Ancient Shell Rings, Abelam
and Humboldt Bay Areas, together
with a round shell plug that came
out when making a large shell ring.
5 -14cm, 10cm (17)
$400-600
Lot 27
Fourteen Ancient Shell Ornaments,
Papuan Gulf, used as ear and nose
ornaments and as a currency.
6 - 9cm (14)
$400-600
Lot 28
Ten Shell and Beaded Kula
Ornaments, Massim People, Milne
Bay Province, PNG; the Kula
exchange or Kula ring, is a
ceremonial exchange system
conducted in the Milne Bay
Province. All Kula valuables are
non-use items traded purely for
purposes of enhancing one's social
status and prestige. Carefully
prescribed customs and traditions
surround the ceremonies that
accompany the exchanges which
establish strong, ideally lifelong
relationships between the
exchange parties.
Exhibited: Pacifica Navigation 2013
Casula Power House Gallery.
6 -12cm (10)
$400-600
Lot 29
Four Ancient Shell Adzes, two from
Wallace Island; these were used in
pre- European Contact times on
sand islands that had no source of
stones.
Provenance: Ex. Nicolai
Mitchoutchkine Collection.
6.5cm, 7.5cm, 12cm, 13cm (4)
$300-500
Lot 30
Two Fine Old Orchid Stem Fibre
Belts and Two Armbands, Late 19th
Century;
Provenance: Harper Collection
1932 Gifted to BL Hornshaw
Old Label reads "From the Harper
Collection 19.12.32
most likely from Bougainville Island"
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
Belts: 36cm, Armbands: 11cm (4)
$200-300
Lot 31
Five Strands of Old Trade Beads,
Geelvink Bay, West Papua; these
beads were the main traditional
currency that the native people
used and received from Malay
traders for bird of paradise feathers
which were in great demand from
the royalty of South East Asia and
China. This trade between Malay
traders and Melanesian's had been
going on for centuries as evident in
the trade goods they left behind,
including: ancient glass beads,
bangles and earrings, Bronze Age
axes, kettle drums and ceramics.
30 - 58cm (5)
$300-400
Lot 32
A Collection of Ancient Glass
Earrings, Geelvink Bay Area, West
Papua; these glass earrings were
collected on the Waropen Coast
along the North Coast of West New
Guinea.
References for further reading:
Plumes from Paradise by Dr Pamela
Swaddling 1996
3 - 6.5 cm (35)
$600-800
Lot 33
A Collection of Nine Old Kina Pearl
Shell Pectoral Ornaments, Southern
Highlands and Papuan Gulf Areas,
PNG; gold lipped pearl shells were
highly valued among most of the
tribes on mainland New Guinea.
They were traded up from the
coast, when they reached the
Highlands their value was greatly
inflated due to the rarity and
distance.
16.5 - 22cm (9)
$300-500
Lot 34
A Collection of Eight Shell and
Seeded Ornaments, the main
ornament being a large and fine
bride price shell necklace from
West New Britain with shell money
dangles, plus various others.
40cm (8)
$200-300
Lot 35
A Collection of Eight Old Conis Shell
Bangles, Geelvink Bay Area; most
with incised designs and ancient
patina, these were used as a
traditional currency and were
widely traded along the North
Coast of West Papua.
5 - 9cm
$300-500
Lot 36
Four Old Marapai Charms in
original woven bags, Papuan Gulf
Area, PNG, late 19th Century; the
bags have the original botanical
attachments in little woven parcels.
In old times each man would have
possessed a group of Marapai
Charms like these, they were used
to protect oneself from malevolent
magic but also to help in hunting
prowess, weather and romance.
5 - 9cm (4)
$800-1,200
Lot 37
A Collection of New Guinea Body
Ornaments, together with a magic
stone from the Mendi Valley, which
was collected by Warwick Irvine in
1968.
7 - 40cm (8)
$200-300
Lot 38
A Fine Shell Money Belt, Solomon
Islands, 19th Century;
Provenance: Ex. Tost & Rohu
Collection: (attached original tag)
350cm
$600-800
Lot 39
A Collection of Six Artefacts,
including four incised bamboo
pipes, New Guinea, a carved
Aboriginal lizard figure and a
woomera.
10 - 57cm (6)
$200-300
Lot 40
A Fine and Early Kula Ornament,
Massim, Milne Bay Province, PNG;
comprised of a conis shell bangle
decorated with six egg shaped
cowrie shells and these have shell
money dangles terminating with
oval pieces pearl shell. This early
example had coloured trade
beads added to the reverse side at
a later date.
The Kula exchange or Kula ring, is a
ceremonial exchange system
conducted in the Milne Bay
Province. All Kula valuables are
non-use items traded purely for
purposes of enhancing one's social
status and prestige. Carefully
prescribed customs and traditions
surround the ceremonies that
accompany the exchanges which
establish strong, ideally lifelong
relationships between the
exchange parties
26cm
$200-300
Lot 41
A Beaded Ceremonial Apron,
Sereu, Ambai Island, Japen Island,
Geelvink Bay, West Papua,
Collected in 1985; the small glass
trade beads are woven with bush
fibre string, complex designs in
green, black, white and yellow
bead work.
54 x 49cm
$600-800
Lot 42
An Old Woven Polynesian Fan,
together with a finely woven
Rennell Island bag.
58 x 37cm, 30 x 28cm (2)
$200-300
Lot 43
A Pair of Abelam Hair Ornaments,
finely woven and ochre painted,
both on custom made stands.
49cm (2)
$200-300
Lot 44
A Fine Highlands Men's Ceremonial
Wig, beautifully woven and
decorated with feathers, on
custom made stand.
55cm
$300-400
Lot 45
Nine Fine Red Feather Money
Sticks, Santa Cruz Islands; feather
money is used in Santa Cruz as a
form of currency. The supply is
limited by the availability of the
feathers used and the man-hours
involved in its manufacture by a
few hereditary specialists. One man
locates the small scarlet
honeyeater birds (Myzomela
cardinalis) living in the rain forest,
and traps them using sticky
perches. He then plucks the
feathers from their heads, breasts
and backs and lets them go alive
so as to keep the population stable.
These were acquired from an
Australian Expat that lived in the
Solomon Islands for over 50 years.
35cm
$300-400
Lot 46
Three Old Massim Lime Containers,
an old lime coconut with incised
designs and wood stopper, a small
and very fine incised lime gourd
with pig tooth stopper, and a fine
incised lime gourd with pig tooth
stopper.
Provenance: Peter Hallinan
Collection No. H- 536.
8cm, 14cm, 10cm (3)
$200-300
Lot 47
A Old Schouten Islands Hair
Ornament, men along the Coastal
Sepik area and Schouten Islands
wore these hair pieces in the 19th
and early 20th Century, their hair
was pulled up through the
decorated basketry ornament. This
example has German New Guinea
era porcelain dogs' teeth as
decorations.
17cm
$200-300
Lot 48
Five New Guinea Body Ornaments,
including: a man's pig wealth tally
ornament, Mount Hagen;
a fine old Dani warrior's bailer shell
necklace, Baliem Valley; two nassa
shell and fibre ornaments, and a
fine multi strand seed belt, Sepik.
25 - 86cm (5)
$200-300
Lot 49
Six Shell and Tusk Wealth
Ornaments, two Lumi area nassa
shell Poli ornaments; two bailer shell
head ornaments, Southern
Highlands; two double boars tusk
and shell ornaments, Tufi Area.
21 - 31cm, 11 - 13cm, 15 - 40cm (6)
$300-400
Lot 50
Two Old Beaded Ornaments,
Samoa, late 19th Century; both with
tiny glass trade beads from the
German colonial era of Samoa.
Often these tiny beads were used
on fine Samoan and Tongan hair
combs; one is an armlet and the
other a necklace with an orange
champa pacifica shell as the
pendant.
8cm, 33cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 51
A Bamboo Lime Container,
Solomon Islands, late 19th Century;
carved from two perfect fitting
pieces of bamboo, finely incised
with bands of designs and traces of
black infill, together with a part of a
another similar container (top only).
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
19cm, 7.5cm (2)
$300-400
Lot 52
Two Cassowary Quill and Bone
Necklaces, New Guinea , 19th
Century; Old label reads "Native
Necklaces made from Quills & Shell
Money, from PL Collection 1910 "
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
54cm (2)
$300-400
Lot 53
A Very Important Native Rat Tooth
Necklace, Old Label Reads
"Necklace made from Flying Fox
Teeth ( kapoul ) New Guinea
3.8.1925 "
"The type of teeth are rat, a highly
sought after food source in many
parts of New Guinea, once I
collected similar necklaces on the
Upper Brazza River I was told each
animal only has four of these incisor
teeth, a man over a lifetime may kill
and collect enough teeth to make
a necklace, the necklace is a
prestige items showing a man's
hunting prowess. This is the only very
long necklace I have seen and
would have taken hundreds of
these animals to make this 2 meter
long necklace of teeth" - Todd
Barlin
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
L. 200cm
$300-400
Lot 54
Three Old Hair Combs, one from
Malaita Island, Solomon's, late 19th
Century, one Tufi Area Oro
Province, late 19th Century, and
one Mainland, New Guinea.
23cm, 23cm, 31cm
$400-600
Lot 55
A Sepik River Bridal Veil / Wealth
Object, this finely woven and shell
decorated piece was worn on the
head during bridal ceremonies and
is also an important form of
traditional shell wealth.
102cm
$600-800
Lot 56
Two Woven Hats, Mamberamo
River, West Papua, together with an
old and well used dance hat from
Bobrongko Village, Lake Sentani
60cm, 65cm (3)
$300-400
Lot 57
Various Strands Old Shell Money,
New Guinea, old label reads
"Diuarra Shell Money New Britain,
pres LRH 1910"
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
$100-200
Lot 58
Various Strands of Tasmanian Shell
Necklaces, including a long
iridescent blue shell necklace and
two very small shell necklaces, plus
one other.
$200-300
Lot 59
Two Small Amulet Figures, Geelvink
Bay, these two genuine old and
used amulets were bought from old
men an Ansus Village, Japen Island
in 1985.
11.5cm, 19cm
$200-400
Lot 60
Twenty Six Old Nose Ornaments,
19th Century or earlier; Todd Barlin
spent more than 30 years saving
the best examples of nose
ornaments for his own personal
collection. These nose ornaments
are generations old and belonged
to people's ancestors. Nose
piercing was done all over
mainland New Guinea for
important initiation rites. These are
from Humboldt Bay and Lake
Sentani, Papuan Gulf, Oro Province
and Rossel Island, Milne Bay
Province.
Part of this ornament collection was
used for the Sydney University
Museum Exhibition "Adorned" 1999.
2 - 20.5cm (26)
$400-600
Lot 61
Five Nose Ornaments, on custom
stands, two old Asmat nose
ornaments, one from bailer shell
and one made from pig bone, Yow
Village, Central Asmat, one from
Santa Cruz Island and one from
Ontong, Java Island.
10 - 15cm (5)
$400-600
Lot 62
Three Sets of Pearl Shell Nose
Ornaments, Ramu Area, 19th
Century; in graduated sizes as they
were worn in a man's nose. These
type of old nose ornaments called
"Ondogo" are depicted on old
masks from the Ramu Area and
were worn by most men in pre-
contact times.
3 - 6cm (16)
$400-600
Lot 63
Three Ancient Fijian Tabua
Ornaments, all are carved to get
the fine shape that was desired by
chiefs. All have a deep ancient
patina and piercings for hanging
the Tabua, one has the original
fibre necklace attached.
Provenance: These Tabua were a
gift to Martin Edward Jull from
Prince Lifonie, a member of the
Tongan royal family in 1883. Martin
Edward Jull was travelling on the
ship HMS "The Sandfly".
13cm, 14cm, 16cm
$800-1,200
Lot 64
An Old Finely Woven Rattan Marind
Bowman's Armguard, together with
an intricately woven and bamboo
Armband worn by "big men/chiefly
men" Southern Highlands Province.
26cm, 24cm (2)
$200-300
Lot 65
Four Old Bone Lime Spatulas,
Abelam, one chiefly lime spatula
with superb shell wealth
decorations and incised designs,
one from Madang area with shell
and woven decoration, and two
bone lime spatulas with finely
carved parrot head finials.
30 - 38cm
$400-600
Lot 66
A Ritual Baton, Malaita Island,
Solomon Islands, the wood baton
with fine inlay shell work is almost in
perfect condition,
the neck has a band of small
braided sennit fibre. These were
called "Fou atoleleo" in Kwaio
Language, they were worn
hanging from the back of the neck
by a man who had killed another
person for a reward.
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
42cm
$600-800
Lot 67
Five Old and Finely Incised
Coconut Bowls, Abelam Area and
Sepik Area, PNG.
12 - 16cm (5)
$400-600
Lot 68
Three Old and Finely Incised
Coconut Whistles, together with a
coconut spoon from the Markham
Valley, and a Sepik pigment dish in
the form of a dog.
8 - 25cm (5)
$400-600
Lot 69
Two Old Marind Anim Shell Conch
Horns, old and well used shell horns
with fibre decorations.
30cm, 34cm (2)
$200-300
Lot 70
Three Talipun Bride Price Wealth
Objects, the talipun is highly valued
and used in ceremonial exchange
as a bride price or as
compensation for inter-clan or tribal
warfare. The shell is the giant green
snail or marbled turban shell (Turbo
marmoratus). This is traded from the
islands to the mainland where in
itself it has currency. It is then
attached to a finely woven mask.
33cm, 43cm, 29cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 71
A Fine Old Massim Ghena Wealth
Spatula, 19th Century; in the
Louisiade Archipelago there are
crescent-shaped wealth spatula
made of wood and turtle shell and
their primary purpose is to display a
form of red shell money currency
known as "bagi". These wealth
objects were given to a widow
during elaborate funeral feasting
ceremonies and also used for other
traditional payments.
27.5 x 19cm
$1,500-2,000
Lot 72
A Fine Old Massim Ghena Ngaa
Wood Wealth Spatula, 19th Century;
in the Louisiade Archipelago there
are crescent-shaped wealth
spatula made of wood and their
primary purpose is to display a form
of red shell money currency known
as "bagi". These wealth objects
were given to a widow during
elaborate funeral feasting
ceremonies and also used for other
traditional payments.
43 x 30cm
$1,500-2,000
Lot 73
Two Old Lime Spatula's, one from
the Tufi Area, the other Massim;
both finely carved with intricate
designs and tracers of lime
decoration and old patina from
prolonged use chewing betel nut.
34cm, 31cm
$400-600
Lot 74
Two Bamboo Smoking Pipes,
Southern Highlands, PNG, both in
the form of an anteater, this
anthropomorphic association with
Anteaters goes back to Prehistoric
times as seen in ancient stone
pieces like the Ambun Stone at the
National Gallery of Australia.
31cm, 36cm
$300-500
Lot 75
An Important Early Bone Harpoon,
Asmat, PNG;
Provenance: Leo Fleischmann
Collection No. LF/I87; together with
a fine and early ritual dagger,
Asmat, the ritual daggers were kept
for use only for killing captured
enemies who were tied up in the
raiding parties canoe, at the
whirlpools in the river they were
killed with these special daggers,
this 19th Century example came
from Ajam Village circa 1970 and
was called "Eu Karowan "
36cm, 40cm (2)
$600-800
Lot 76
An Asmat Ritual Bone Dagger,
these were used to kill captured
enemies at the sight of whirlpools in
the river which is where powerful
spirits dwell.
30cm
$300-400
Lot 77
Two Old Abelam Bone Daggers,
19th Century; both are finely
carved and with deep use patina.
15cm, 16cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 78
A Large Early Stone Axe from the
Pacific Region, 19th Century or
Earlier; exact origin unknown, very
similar to Maori stone axes made of
a hard grey green stone.
26.5cm
$300-400
Lot 79
Three Old Massim Lime Spatula's, all
finely carved with traces of lime
infill; one in the form of a stylized
turtle with fine incised designs, one
in the form of a canoe design, Ex.
Crispin Howarth Collection, and a
fine Janus figure with two
crouching back to back figures.
29cm, 34cm, 32cm (3)
$600-800
Lot 80
A Ladle, Admiralty Islands, late 19th
Century; the intricately carved
wood handle could be seen as an
abstract human figure.
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
33cm
$400-600
Lot 81
Two Old Carved and Incised
Sipping Bowls, used for drinking a
village brewed alcoholic drink.
These were collected at Fategomi
Village, Sorong Province, West
Papua; one belonged to a man
called Musu Asmuruf.
23cm, 25cm
$400-500
Lot 82
Two Old Geelvink Bay Lime
Containers, finely incised traditional
scroll like designs, collected at
Wandaman Bay, West Papua, 1986.
6cm
$200-300
Lot 83
A Fine Old Hair Comb, Fly Fiver
Area, New Guinea, early 20th
Century; finely carved from
hardwood in the form of the head
of an ancestor with good
expression, the comb has incised
designs on both sides.
42 x 11cm
$6,000-8,000
Lot 84
An Early Massim Chief's Lime
Gourd, with a finely incised pigs tusk
stopper; together with an old
and elegant Oro Province lime
gourd with three panels of incised
geometric designs and woven
stopper.
Chief's Gourd: 22cm (2)
$200-400
Lot 85
A Neckrest, Rennell Island, Solomon
Islands; of classical form and
original sennit binding.
Provenance: South Seas
Evangelical Mission (active late
19th - early 20th Century)
38 x 14cm
$400-600
Lot 86
Three Old Shell Spoons, Ramu River
Area, one with its original woven
cover, these spoons were used
ceremonially to feed initiates during
their seclusion period.
15 -18cm (3)
$300-400
Lot 87
A Fine Old Kankaney Coffin Lock,
Northern Philippines, The Kankaney
are an ethnic division of the Igorots,
an indigenous people of the
Cordillera region, in the Philippine
Island of Luzan. This figure would
have to fit into a square hole on a
coffin to guard and protect the
deceased.
Provenance: Ex. Rudolf Kratochwill
Collection, Austria.
68cm
$400-600
Lot 88
Six Heavy Brass Dayak Ear
Ornaments, 9 -11cm
$200-300
Lot 89
An Important and early Ifugao
Shaman's Box, Ifugao people of
Northern Luzon, Philippines; an old
Northern Philippine Ifugao
ceremonial ritual box called a
Punamhan. This well carved box
with double Pigs heads finials and it
has broad horizontal striations
designs and an old crusty dark
patina from many applications of
libations during ceremonies. Animist
communities of the northern
Philippines create fine wooden
vessels for religious rites and for
celebratory feasts sponsored by
wealthy families. The lidded
receptacle in the shape of a
stylised two-headed pig once held
ingredients used by village priests in
rituals.
Provenance: Ex. Rudolf Kratochwill
Collection, Austria.
54 x 13.5cm
$400-600
Lot 90
A Pair of Ifugao Bulul Figures, Ifugao
people of Northern Luzon,
Philippines.
Provenance: Ex. Rudolf Kratochwill
Collection, Austria.
39cm, 40cm
$800-1,200
Lot 91
A Fine Old Ifugao Bulul Figure,
Ifugao people of Northern Luzon,
Philippines.
Provenance: Ex. Rudolf Kratochwill
Collection, Austria.
44cm
$600-800
Lot 92
An Old Timor Female Fertility
Ancestor Figure, East Timor ,
Indonesia; this curvaceous nude
female ancestor figure standing
with her hands resting together on
her swollen pregnant belly. Carved
from hardwood, with a patina of
age and use.
76cm
$400-600
Lot 93
An Ancestor Figure, Atoni or Tetum
People, West Timor, Indonesia;
ancestor figure [ai bahat] early 20th
century; In Timor, tattoos signal
identity and status. Their talismanic
qualities protect the living and the
soul after death. He is incised with
intricate designs found on a range
of Timor art, including tattoos and
textiles. The stylised aquatic and
reptilian creatures on the belly of
this sculpture are motifs associated
with fertility and the Timor nobility.
Provenance: Purchased from
Daeng Iskander in 1985, Iskander
was an important Art Dealer in Bali
who helped Barbier Mueller build
his Indonesian Art Collection which
is now in The Musee du Quai Branly
collection in Paris.
37cm
$400-600
Lot 94
An Old and Finely Carved Betel Nut
Accessory Box, Flores Island,
Indonesia, 19th Century; the
hardwood box with finely incised
geometric and abstract designs
over the entire surface except for
the bottom and short legs.
Provenance: Purchased from
Daeng Iskander in 1985, Iskander
was an important Art Dealer in Bali
who helped Barbier Mueller build
his Indonesian Art Collection which
is now in The Musee du Quai Branly
collection in Paris
25.5 x 15cm
$200-300
Lot 95
A Small Amulet Figure, Konkornba
People, Upper Volta River, Ghana;
Ex. Dalton Somare Gallery, Italy.
25cm
$200-300
Lot 96
A Guardian Post Figure, West Nepal
Tribal People, 19th Century; the
figure has square holes in the back
where it was attached to a wall or
post. The face is very expressive
and there is an ancient patina
overall.
104 x 17cm
$400-600
Lot 97
Two Old Sling Shots, Burma, in the
form of a young man's ideal
woman of beautiful full proportions,
one has brass inlay decorations.
18cm, 22cm
$400-600
Lot 98
Six Old Kris Handles from Java and
Bali, 19th Century; "My collection of
Kris handles was started in 1985 and
I bought many of the first ones from
Daeng Iskander, an important Art
Dealer in Bali who helped Barbier
Mueller build his Indonesian Art
Collection which is now in The
Musee du Quai Branly collection in
Paris." - Todd Barlin
8 - 10cm
$600-800
Lot 99
Two Northwest Coast Carvings,
Canada, Haida; one finely carved
and painted miniature totem pole,
together with a Shaman's rattle
50cm, 24cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 100
Two Northwest Coast Carvings,
Canada, Haida; one intricately
carved miniature totem pole,
signed on back "Raymond Williams,
Vancouver Island" circa 1950s, and
on the bottom "this raven pole was
by master carver Raymond Williams
(Nootka)"; together with a larger
totem pole, finely carved and
painted,
61 x 46cm, 102 x 66cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 101
An Early Maori House Carved
Board, early 20th century, with fine
spiral designs and vertical indent
patterns, and original red colour.
Old Australian Collection.
134 x 29cm
$600-800
Lot 102
A Neckrest, Tonga, 19th Century;
this classic neckrest of the type
called Kali Hahapo, its elegant form
carved out of a single piece of
hardwood. Many people describe
the form as "soft and beautiful like a
woman's hips". The bottom of the
neckrest shows evidence of
extensive coral rasping to finish the
fine form like most all of the earliest
examples show. (minor chips from
long use but no restorations).
Provenance: Ex. Nicolai
Mitchoutchkine Collection.
51 x 13.5cm
$1,000-1,500
Lot 103
A Shark Tooth Knife, Gilbert Islands,
Micronesia, an old early 20th
Century knife with all the original
teeth intact.
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
34.5cm
$300-400
Lot 104
A Bowl, Wuvulu (Matty Island),
Papua New Guinea, the people of
Wuvulu in Manus Province are a
Para Polynesian Group of people.
Their elegant bowls are known for
their unique and sophisticated
hourglass shape, this bowl has old
patina with encrustations.
36cm
$400-600
Lot 105
A Mangia Island Adze, Cook
Islands, 19th century; finely carved
on custom made stand.
68cm
$400-600
Lot 106
A Fishing Tackle Box, Tokelau
(Micronesia), Late 19th Century;
finely carved and with pearl shell
inlay design on all four sides.
Provenance: Ex. BL Hornshaw
Collection.
19 x 25cm
$400-600
Lot 107
Two Large Fijian Tapa Cloths and A
Large Tongan Tapa Cloth, various
sizes.
(3)
$200-400
Lot 108
A Fine Old Tapa Wallace or Fortuna
Island, French Polynesia,
Provenance: Ex. Nicolai
Mitchoutchkine Collection.
176 x 47cm
$200-400
Lot 109
A Superb Early Admiralty Islands
Food Bowl, 19th Century; of
classical circular form, four stubby
feet on bottom, the rim with a band
fine incised triangular designs.
Dia. 32cm
$400-600
Lot 110
A Superb Old Polynesian Kava
Bowl, Tonga, 19th Century; in the
form of a traditional stylized turtle
with four legs and ancient patina
from extensive use.
Provenance: Ex. Francis Edgar
Williams Collection.
Dia. 52cm, Ht.19cm
$400-600
Lot 111
A Fine Old Polynesian Kava Bowl,
Tonga, Early 20th Century; in the
form of a traditional stylized turtle
with four legs and old patina from
extensive use.
Provenance: Ex. Francis Edgar
Williams Collection.
Dia. 53cm, Ht. 17.5cm
$400-600
Lot 112
A Large Old Food Bowl, Coastal
Ramu, early 20th Century; of
elegant elongated oval form, and
finely carved crocodile heads
forming the handles and with
ancient patina.
85 x 27cm
$300-400
Lot 113
A Fine Tami Island Bowl, in the form
of a bird, this fine old and well used
bowl is of oval form, the back and
sides forming the wings and tail of
the bird. The well carved bird head
finial has a fish or animal in its beak.
Provenance: Ex. Francis Edgar
Williams Collection.
58 x 23cm
$200-300
Lot 114
An Old Massim Lizard Shaped Bowl,
early 20th Century; finely carved in
the form of an elongated lizard ,
the front of the bowl has two small
lizards carved in high relief, pecked
designs over most of the surface.
Provenance: Alex Philips,
Melbourne.
62cm
$400-600
Lot 115
A Bowl in Horseshoe Crab Form,
Huon Gulf, carved from hardwood
with fine anatomical detail.
Provenance: Ex. Alex Philips
Collection, Melbourne.
42 x 127cm
$300-500
Lot 116
Two Fine Old Pottery Vessels, Giriwa
People, Ramu Area, these rare old
pots are in near perfect condition,
they are of elongated bullet shape
with bands of incised designs near
the neck and opening.
35cm each (2)
$300-400
Lot 117
Two Old Boiken Plates, Coastal
Sepik Area, both of these plates are
very old, they have deep incised
spirit faces decorations and the
one on the right has a double flying
fox in high relief. Collected on
Kairuru Islands in the early 1980's.
43cm each (2)
$400-600
Lot 118
Two Old Boiken Plates, Coastal
Sepik Area, both of these plates are
very old, they have deep incised
designs and old patination.
Collected on Kairuru Islands in the
early 1980's.
41cm, 52cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 119
A Pair Of Feather and Red Wool
Shoes, Central Australia.
26 x 15cm
$400-600
Lot 120
A Fine Old Wunda Shield, West
Australia, late 19th/early 20th
Century.
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
66 x 16cm
$800-1,200
Lot 121
A Fine Queensland Rainforest Shield
and Sword Club, early 20th Century.
Provenance: Robert White
Collection.
Shield: 87.5 x 19cm; Club: 92cm (2)
$1,500-2,500
Lot 122
Three Old Hunting Boomerangs,
19th/early 20th Century; with
incised designs.
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
66cm, 67cm, 71cm (3)
$600-800
Lot 123
Two Old Boomerangs, both with
Incised designs, one has a spirit
figure on both sides.
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
43cm, 56cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 124
A Fine Lagrange Bay Shield,
Western Australia, 19th Century;
with fine deep incised vertical
striations on the front, the reverse
with fine interlocking abstract
designs, traces of red ochre and
ancient patina.
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
79 x 12cm
$1,500-2,500
Lot 125
An Aboriginal Shield, Western
Australia, early 20th Century; finely
carved with Zig Zag Striations on
the front and concentric squares
incised on the back of the shield,
traces of red ochre.
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
65 x 12cm
$600-800
Lot 126
A Wunda Shield, Ashburton,
Western Australia, 19th Century; a
fine and early Wunda shield with
classical deep incised Zig Zag
designs on the front, the back
showing the great age of this shield
with incised vertical striations
bisected with horizontal striations,
traces of ochre painting and
ancient patina. Written on back
"Ashburton No. 14"
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
66 x 16cm
$1,500-2,500
Lot 127
Three Early South East Australian
Boomerangs, 19th Century; finely
stone carved and in good
condition.
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
45cm, 52cm, 65cm
$400-600
Lot 128
Two Early Central Desert Hunting
Boomerangs, both with fine linear
striations, traces of ochre, used and
old patina.
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
67cm, 74cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 129
Two Early Central Desert Hunting
Boomerangs, both with fine linear
striations, traces of ochre, use and
old patina.
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
42cm, 46cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 130
Two Old Boomerangs, one an early
stone carved hunting boomerang,
Western Australia, and one an early
highly curved returning
boomerang, made from
hardwood, Southeast Australia,
early 20th Century.
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
44cm, 46cm
$400-600
Lot 131
Three Old Hair Pins, Western
Australia, early 20th Century; finely
incised on both sides; two with
interlocking diamond designs and
the other with incised concentric
squares.
Provenance: Ex. Lord Alistair
McAlpine Collection.
24cm, 27cm, 29cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 132
A Large Old Australian Aboriginal
Coolamon Bowl, Central Australia;
finely incised on both sides with
linear striations, the outside painted
with traditional Central Desert clan
designs.
69 x 26cm
$200-300
Lot 133
A Finely Carved and Painted Shield,
Central Australia, the front with fine
Central Australian Designs in white
ochre.
68 x 22.5cm
$400-600
Lot 134
A Old Hardwood Club, Central
Australia, of elongated tapering
form, heavily incised with designs
on most of the
surface and old use patina.
81cm
$200-400
Lot 135
A Bean Wood Shield, Central
Australia, together with a finely
carved and ochred coolamon
bowl; the shield with faint painted
designs (Emu and foliage)
Provenance: This shield was given
as a thank you to Dr Bertram
Welton in the 1940s when he
worked with Aboriginal people in
Central Australia.
59cm, 57cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 136
A Carved and Painted Crocodile
Figure, North East Arnhem Land,
Circa 1970-1980; the crocodile is an
important clan totem, and is often
depicted in Arnhem Land bark
paintings and less often in carvings
such as this one. The finely pained
ochre raark designs appear on
sides and face of this carving.
131cm
$400-600
Lot 137
A Shield, Lagrange Bay, Western
Australia, both sides are finely
carved and ochre painted.
75 x 14.5cm
$600-800
Lot 138
Two Aboriginal Bark Paintings by
Jack Madagarlgari, Oenpelli,
Western Arnhem Land, circa 1970's;
one depicts a Jabiru, the other of
an Emu.
52 x 19cm, 47 x 21cm
$400-600
Lot 139
Two Old Aboriginal Bark Paintings,
Arnhem Land, circa 1960s; "Totemic
Creatures" and "Bird"
41 x 24cm, 37 x 20.5cm
$400-600
Lot 140
Dick Nguleingulei Murramurra
(1920-1988)
Kukuken
Ochres on Bark
Language group: Gunwinggu
Clan: Nabularldja
Old label affixed verso, Kukuken ;
the Fresh Water Crocodile, which is
a totem of the Dhuwa Moiety and
is also called "my mother's
dreaming "by the artist. At the
bottom of the Maningrida Arts
Label it says: Certification that this is
the work of Dick Nguleingulei & was
painted at Gunmarinbang in
March 1981.
137 x 48cm
$400-600
Lot 141
Bark Painting, Unknown Tiwi Artist,
Melville or Bathurst Island, Northern
Territory, c.1980;
"Pukamani Funeral Armbands and
Clan Designs"
77 x 45cm
$200-300
Lot 142
Yula Biri
Rigomongor - The Barramundi
feeding on Jati the Frog
Ochres on Bark
West Arnhem Land
Clan: Rembarrnga
Location: Bulagadaru
c.1985
77 x 35cm
$200-300
Lot 143
George Djahgurrnga
c.1918-1980s
Funerary Ceremonies
Ochres on Bark
West Arnhem Land, c.1960s
George Merwulunlu Djahgurrnga
was born in about 1918. A
Kunwinjku speaker, he grew up in
the bush and did not move to the
Oenpelli mission, established in
1925. Schooled in bark painting by
his father, Djahgurrnga painted in a
simple style derived from rock art
and ritual body painting. He did not
marry and lived and worked on his
own at Guborlemguborlem, on a
remote outstation isolated from
contact with Europeans. According
to Dorothy Bennett, he lived in a
pandanus hut by a billabong and
used to fish with an old butterfly
net. Very much a loner, he was
interested in painting spirit figures
and animals.
62 x 36cm
$300-400
Lot 144
Wally Mandarrk
1915 -1987
Kukuken: The Fresh Water Crocodile
Ochres on Bark
Moiety: Dhuwa
Central Arnhem Land, circa 1970
Old label affixed verso reads:
"Mandarrk 45 years old, Dagbon
from upper Liverpool River"
65 x 26cm
$300-400
Lot 145
Daisy Mamybunharrawuy
b.1950 -
Sacred Hollow Log Ceremony
Ochres on Bark
Central Arnhem Land, circa 1980
Provenance: Clive Evatt Collection;
Bonham's, Sydney, November 2013,
Lot 247
81 x 41cm
$400-600
Lot 146
A Bark Painting, Artist Unknown
(Fish), West Arnhem Land, circa
1950-1960.
54 x 22cm
$200-400
Lot 147
A Bark Painting, Artist Unknown
(Catfish), West Arnhem Land,
c.1960's.
67 x 25cm
$200-400
Lot 148
Two Arnhem Land Bark Paintings,
c.1960's; "Fish", North East Arnhem
Land, and "Clan Designs",
"Pupajuwa" inscribed verso
49 x 23cm, 37 x 16cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 149
Jumbo Dawalinjara
1940 -
Lizard Totems
Ochres on Bark
Northeast Arnhem Land, circa
1960's
65 x 22cm
$300-400
Lot 150
Mick Kubarkku
c.1924-2008
Emu
Ochres on Bark
Maningrida Area, Central Arnhem
Land c.1960's
Subsection Balang
Clan: Kulmarru
Moiety: Dhuwa
Language: Eastern Kininjku
Inscribed verso Mick Gubaru (old
spelling of artists name)
74 x 32cm
$400-600
Lot 151
Mick Kubarkku
c.1924-2008
Catfish
Ochres on Bark
Maningrida Area, Central Arnhem
Land c.1960's
Subsection Balang
Clan: Kulmarru
Moiety: Dhuwa
Language: Eastern Kininjku
Old Label Affixed Verso Reads"
Gubargu Marion Ceremony (Secret
& Sacred) Catfish Dreaming"
58 x 32cm
$400-600
Lot 153
Gary Djorlam
1950 -
Male and Female Mimi Spirits
Ochres on Bark
Kunwinjku artist from Gunbalanya
(Oenpelli), Western Arnhem Land,
circa 1980's
47 x 15cm (2)
$200-300
Lot 154
Mick Magani
1920-1984
Totemic Animals
Ochres on Bark
Clan: Mildjingi
Area: Gatji Creek, Central Arnhem
Land
artist information affixed verso
64 x 23cm
$200-300
Lot 155
Yuwurnyuwurn Marruwarr
1928-1978
Mimi Spirit and Kangaroo
Ochres on Bark
Western Arnhem Land.
Yuwurnyuwurn Marruwarr was born
in about 1928 at a remote camp
near the Liverpool River. A
Kunwinjku speaker, he belonged to
the Marrirn clan and Kamarrang
subsection. After the death of his
mother in the late 1950s,
Yuwurnyuwurn went to live at
Oenpelli where he worked on the
cattle station and painted in his
spare time. When the outstation
movement gained momentum in
the early 1970s the artist settled for
a time at Marrkolidjban, the home
of his clan, the Marrirn, but
eventually he had to return to
Oenpelli, when his wife became ill.
The artist worked for a while at the
Literature centre, drawing
illustrations of birds, fish and animals
for school readers, but then
devoted all of his time to painting
on bark in the X-ray style until his
relatively early death in 1978. His
work was represented in the
Kunwinjku Bim exhibition held at the
National Gallery of Victoria, 1984.
43 x 34cm
$400-600
Lot 156
A Bark Painting, Artist Unknown
(Two Kangaroos), Western Arnhem
Land, circa 1960s.
67 x 35cm
$300-400
Lot 157
Andrew Munakali
1940-1988
Nagloyd the Rainbow Serpent
Ochres on Bark
Oenpelli, Western Arnhem Land
Label affixed verso.
90 x 33cm
$300-500
Lot 158
A Rare Double Sided Painting on
Wood by Sambo Ashley Mindiliwoi,
Western Arnhem Land, c.1970's;
depicting two Mimi spirits on one
side and one Mimi spirit on the
other side with fine cross hatch
Rarrk designs.
44 x 27cm
$300-400
Lot 159
Bilinyarra Nabegeyo
(c.1920-early 1990s)
Mimi Spirit
Ochres on Bark
Western Arnhem Land, circa 1960s.
Bilinyarra (Biliyeyhkga) Nabegeyo
was born in about 1920. He was a
Kunwinjku speaker, belonging to
the Djalama clan and the Yirritja
moiety whose country was
Mandilbareng. Renowned as a
bark painter, Nabegeyo
remembered the 1948 expedition
on which Mountford collected
numerous paintings at Oenpelli. He
belonged to a family of painters,
having taught his sons Bruce and
Mukguddu to paint. He died in the
early 1990s. The artist's work was
represented in Dreamings: The Art
of Aboriginal Australia, The Asia
Society Galleries, New York, 1988
and is represented in most of the
Australian public collections.
36 x 21cm
$400-600
Lot 160
Wally Mandarrk
1915 -1987
Fish and Frogs
Ochres on Bark
Central Arnhem Land, c.1970's
Moiety: Dhuwa
96 x 38cm
$300-400
Lot 161
A Bark Painting, Artist Unknown
(Bandicoot), Western Arnhem Land,
c.1950s-60s.
Provenance: Palm Springs Museum
Collection, California.
52 x 31cm
$300-400
Lot 162
David Milaybuma
(1938-1983)
Noworan: Rock Python
Ochres on Bark
Language: Eastern Kun Winijku
Dated certificate verso
Maningrada Arts, March 1982
Painted: Maningrada Region,
Central Arnhem Land
in near perfect condition
Provenance: Collected by Dr
George Voricek in 1982 while
working at Maningrada.
This artist is in most of the Public art
Gallery and Museum Collections in
Australia.
81 x 35cm
$300-400
Lot 163
Ray Munyal
(1935 - 1995)
Hunting Story
Ochres on Bark
dated certificate Maningrada Arts
& Crafts verso, 1982
Language Group: Djinang
Clan: Ngrasaning
Painted Maningrada Region,
central Arnhem Land
in near perfect condition
Original Label Reads:
“The man & the woman at the right
of the painting are hunting for
goanna and gathering yams. At
the bottom centre is a fire where
men are seen singing and dancing,
the aftermath of a successful hunt.
Portions of kangaroo having been
cut and ready for cooking. The
artist has depicted this scene at the
main camp site, seen above is a
bark shelter. "
Provenance: Collected by Dr
George Voricek in 1982 while
working at Maningrida
This artist is in most of the Public Art
Gallery & Museum Collections in
Australia.
98 x 51cm
$400-600
Lot 164
Brenda Brown
1970 -
Untitled
Synthetic Polymer on Linen
Warlayirta Artist, Western Australia,
1988
Provenance: Sotheby's Australia
1990s, private collection Sydney
Brenda Brown in an artist of artistic
precision and flare, painting
primarily artworks that reference
local mungari or bush foods
100 x 76cm
$200-300
Lot 165
A Bark Painting, Artist Unknown
(Fish), Western Arnhem Land, Circa
1960's.
78 x 30cm
$300-500
Lot 166
A Pair of Ceremonial Spears,
Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory,
collected 1960's; finely carved and
ochre painted designs.
128cm each
$300-400
Lot 167
Three Australian Aboriginal Woven
Baskets, including: a Queensland
bicornuate basket and two Central
Arnhem Land woven baskets.
43cm, 24cm, 33cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 168
An Old War Shield, Eastern
Highlands, PNG, this shield has soft
ochre painted designs over a
pecked designs.
Provenance: Collected by Jack
Hibbert who was a Missionary
living and working in New Guinea in
the 1960's.
156 x 60cm
$600-800
Lot 169
An Old War Shield, Simbai, Bismarck
Schrader Ranges, Madang
Province; finely carved from
hardwood with upraised designs
and ochre painted.
Provenance: Collected by Jack
Hibbert who was a Missionary
living and working in New Guinea in
the 1960's.
108 x 54cm
$600-800
Lot 170
An Old War Shield, Simbai, Bismarck
Schrader Ranges, Madang
Province; finely carved from
hardwood with upraised designs
and ochre painted.
Provenance: Collected by Jack
Hibbert who was a Missionary
living and working in New Guinea in
the 1960's.
96 x 52cm
$600-800
Lot 171
An Old War Shield, Simbai, Bismarck
Schrader Ranges, Madang
Province; finely carved from
hardwood with upraised cross
hatched designs.
Provenance: Collected by Jack
Hibbert who was a Missionary
living and working in New Guinea in
the 1960's.
107 x 56cm
$600-800
Lot 172
An Old War Shield, Simbai,
Provenance: Allan D Christensen
Collection no CC60612
Collected by Philip Goldman, Allen
D. and Carmen M.
96 x 58cm
$800-1,200
Lot 173
A War Shield, Mendi Valley,
Southern Highlands Province, an
old and used shield carved from
hardwood with incised and painted
designs.
137 x 39cm
$600-800
Lot 174
An Archers Shield, Mendi Valley,
Southern Highlands Province, this
shield with the design of an
abstract human figure in red and
white ochres.
70 x 29cm
$600-800
Lot 175
A War Shield, Mendi Valley,
Southern Highlands Province, mid-
20th Century; hardwood with
carved and ochre painted
decorations.
Exhibited: Oceanic Art Pacifica
2014 at Casula Power House
Gallery
*see photo attached far right
126 x 40cm
$600-800
Lot 176
A War Shield, Mount Hagen Area,
Highlands Province, this is an old
and well used shield with pecked
and painted designs, the back with
original wood cross handle grip.
Provenance: Collected by Ian
Downs (1915-2004); Downs was an
Australian colonial patrol officer,
that first went on patrol in the
Mount Hagen area in 1938, he later
became deputy administrator in
the 1950's.
139 x 62cm
$1,500-2,000
Lot 177
A War Shield, Merawaka Area,
Eastern Highlands Province, with
incised and painted designs the
central motif is a lizard.
136 x 51cm
$400-600
Lot 178
A House Board, April River, PNG,
Provenance: University Of NSW
Library Collection. This old house
panel was deacessioned from the
University Of NSW Library Collection
and was sold with a group of other
old New Guinea artefacts including
a superb stone carved Telefomin
shield that is now in the John Friede
Collection.
176 x 35cm
$500-700
Lot 179
A Shield, Iwam People, May River,
East Sepik Province, a finely carved
and painted shield comprised of
four panels of abstract designs with
infill ochre in red, yellow, white and
black.
Provenance: Collected by John
Simpson; Simpson was a geologist
working in New Guinea in the
1950's/1960's period, most of his
collection is now in the Museum of
Western Australia in Perth.
242 x 46cm
$2,000-3,000
Lot 180
A Shield, WHP, an old and well used
war shield, with original Cassowary
feather plume ornaments at top
and original handle with braided
rope, boldly pecked and painted
designs and traces of Rickets Blue
Soap Powder.
Old Label Reads: Wisimei Village,
Kerawagi District, Chimbu
Owner: Kosmas Maynei, made by
his father Aiyre, circa 1950.
160 x 63cm
$800-1,200
Lot 181
An Archers Shield, Wanamu Area,
Madang Province, this small shield is
convex on the front decorated with
ochre painted Zig Zag designs.
Provenance: Purchased at the
Madang Cultural Centre in 1986,
they often sold pieces that village
people brought in but they didn't
need for their collections.
69 x 27cm
$600-800
Lot 182
A War Shield, Mendi Valley,
Southern Highlands Province, an
old and used shield carved from
hardwood with incised and painted
designs.
Provenance: Collected by Warwick
Irvine in 1968.
131 x 41cm
$600-800
Lot 183
A Shield Asmat, Causerinen Coast,
West Papua, a rare type of shield
with figurative motifs on the front,
collected by Todd Barlin in Basim
Village, 1986, "The local catholic
priest had it in his home and said it
had been carved by one of the
most important Master Carvers or
"wow ipitsj" from Pirien Village and
that he was deceased at that
time." - Todd Barlin
192 x 41cm
$600-800
Lot 184
An Early War Shield, Asmat, Central
Asmat, West Papua,
Provenance: Ex. Raymond Charles
Williams Collection. This very early
Asmat Shield, was obtained by
Raymond Charles Williams who was
in the Royal Australian Engineers
Corp and stationed on Thursday
Island in the Torres Strait during
WWII. He brought this shield back
with him when he returned, how
the shield got to the Torres Strait is
unknown, but there was regular
trade between the mainland of
New Guinea and the Torres Strait.
During WWII the Australian Army
sent Donald Thomson, the famous
anthropologist that had worked in
Arnhem Land, to the South Coast of
West Papua to scout for Japanese
Soldiers, who brought artefacts
back from the Asmat which are
now in the National Museum of
Victoria, Melbourne.
186 x 39cm
$600-800
Lot 185
An Old War Shield, Lumi Area,
Torricelli Mountains, West Sepik,
PNG, 19th Century; Shield
Collection No. M-940.
Provenance: Ex. Stanley Moriarty
Collection.
82 x 59cm
$800-1,200
Lot 186
A War Shield, Western Highlands
Province, PNG; with unusual
pecked deigns mainly in the form
of four pointed stars over the entire
face of the shield. (a small crack
repair).
136 x 44cm
$600-800
Lot 187
An Old War Shield, Ialibu Area,
Southern Highlands, PNG; old and
well used shield with a fine ochre
painted designs in the form of a
face.
149 x 52cm
$600-800
Lot 188
A Rare and Old Bark Shield, Enga
Province, PNG; called "yenda
konabi"
Provenance: Collected by Warwick
Irvine, 1968.
Reference: A similar shield is in "The
Shields of Oceania" Crawford
House Publishing, 2005, Page 127.
116 x 42cm
$800-1,200
Lot 189
A Wicker Shield, Solomon Islands,
19th Century; finely woven with
intricate clan designs.
Provenance: Ex. Tost & Rohu
Collection: (attached original tag)
84 x 22cm
$600-800
Lot 190
A Fine Old Papuan Gulf Drum, finely
carved with two large ancestor
faces on the fishtail part of the
drum, and deeply incised designs
on the bands near the handle, dark
patina overall.
86.5cm
$600-800
Lot 191
An Ancient Papuan Gulf Drum,
finely carved in two large ancestor
faces on the fishtail part of the
drum, dark patina overall.
75cm
$600-800
Lot 192
An Ancient Papuan Gulf Drum,
finely carved with four ancestor
faces, two on the fishtail part of the
drum and two smaller faces on the
sides, dark patina overall, one end
has damage as seen in photo.
65cm
$600-800
Lot 193
Two Fine Old Asmat Drums, one
with finely carved human figure to
top of handle, collected at Basim
village from the Catholic priest; the
other with deeply incised designs,
collected from Digul River area
near Kepi.
104cm, 110cm (2)
$600-800
Lot 194
Two Fine and Large Marind Anim
Drums, with original field collection
labels. Sangase Village, Kumbe
Village, and Moro River, Owner:
Johanes Kaise.
"I made many trips to the Marind
Anim between 1985-1999 both to
visit friends and make collections
for major museums including a full
Dema Ceremony now held at The
Musee du Quai Branly in Paris and
another at the Linden Museum in
Stuttgart"
113cm, 118cm
$400-600
Lot 195
A Old and Well Used Asmat Drum,
collected at Jow Village in 1986
and belonged to an important
Asmat carver named Akai. The
handle consists of three beautifully
carved stylized hornbill birds heads,
the body of the drum with incised
designs and upraised ghost hands;
together with a fine old Mimika
drum with abstract designs that
represent an ancestor figure (like
Yamate Boards).
76cm, 55cm (2)
$600-800
Lot 196
A Chief's Drum, Massim Culture,
Milne Bay Province, an old and well
used drum with intricately carved
handle with abstract birds and
scroll like designs on the large
handle, also the body of the drum
has two upraised bird heads
connected by a line.
105cm
$400-600
Lot 197
A Stone Carved Drum, Asmat;
Collected by Todd Barlin in Pirien
Village, 1986.
56cm
$400-600
Lot 198
Two Old Coastal Sepik Drums, the
larger drum with masked ancestor
faces on handle and the other
drum with two stylized bird heads.
Both show the real artistic ability of
the old time Sepik carvers.
72cm, 46cm
$400-600
Lot 199
Two Fine Old Highlands Drums, one
from the Western Highlands with
fine incised geometric
designs and an old patina, early
20th Century, together with
another old drum with fine designs
and ochre painting on bottom.
Provenance: Collected by Warwick
Irvine in 1968.
57.5cm, 57cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 200
A Large and Fine Asmat Drum,
Ocenep Village, circa 1950s-60s. Ex
Catholic Mission Collection, Basim,
Coastal Asmat Area.
122cm
$400-600
Lot 201
A Rare Old Drum, Boiken Area, with
deeply incised spirit faces and
designs, old patination.
37cm
$200-300
Lot 202
Two Fine and Large Marind Anim
Drums, with original field collection
labels; One from Slo Village, Upper
Bian River, Marind Anim, Made by
Gabriel Kaise who died in the
1960's, and one from Kumbe
Village, Kumbe River Marind Anim,
the owner of this drum was Alfius
Mahuse.
"I made many trips to the Marind
Anim between 1985-1999 both to
visit friends and make collections
for major museums including a full
Dema Ceremony now held at The
Musee du Quai Branly in Paris and
another at the Linden Museum in
Stuttgart" - Todd Barlin
101cm each (2)
$400-600
Lot 203
A Large Old Dani Axe (Yakbiliak),
Baliem Valley, Dani, West Papua; a
fine heavy old working axe for
splitting trees and wood, the
speckled green stone of the
hardest type. Collected in the
Jiwika Area of the Baliem Valley in
the early 1980's.
77 x 37cm
$400-600
Lot 204
A Sacred Jet Stone Set Special
Made Nets and Shell Money Belt,
collected by Todd Barlin after the
funeral of the famous Warrior Kurelu
in 1988. Up to 20,000 Dani, Yali and
Lani People came to his funeral.
This sacred Je Stone bundle was
exchanged among the important
men who came to Kurelu's funeral
and exchange. It is a complete set
from Kurelu's funeral with the
original woven nets called "Su" that
the most important sacred stones
must be presented on. Only the
largest and most scared Wusu or Je
oak stones are used for important
men's funerals. When the stones are
laid out for exchange they have a
Cowrie Shell Belt "Jetalik” draped
over them. The field photos taken
by Todd Barlin during the mourning
period and stone exchanges that
went on for weeks after the funeral,
another Je Stone set purchased
that day are now in The Musee du
Quai Branly Collection in Paris
45 - 60cm
$600-800
Lot 205
An Ancestor Figure Asmat, Awok
Village, with custom made stand.
Field Collected by Todd Barlin in
Awok Village circa 1985; the left
shoulder crack visible in field photo
provided was professional repaired.
136cm
$800-1,200
Lot 206
A Canoe Prow Ornament, Humboldt
Bay, finely carved with stylized fish
and bird motifs.
49 x 38cm
$400-600
Lot 207
A Miniature Mbitoro, Mimika, this
carving though small in scale is a
very fine example of a miniature
Mbitoro Ceremonial Pole, it has the
same beauty as the much larger
scale Mbitroro Poles used in
initiation of young men. These small
Mbitoro were known to be made
early and have some examples in
the Tropen and Leiden Museum.
Famously Andre Breton had one on
his desk that was later sold to Hotel
Drouot's, April 14th, 2003.
32 x 14cm
$300-400
Lot 208
A Tapa Painting Humboldt Bay,
West Papua, Collected at Nafri
Village Humboldt Bay 1986; the
tapa cloths from Lake Sentani and
Humboldt Bay in N.W. Irian Jaya are
locally known as Maro Smo.
103 x 69cm
$400-600
Lot 209
An Old Tapa Cloth, Tep Tep Area,
Madang Province, 92 x 70cm
$200-400
Lot 210
Two Old Tapa Cloths, Tep Tep Area,
Madang Province, 63 x 50cm, 43 x
45cm
$200-400
Lot 211
A Tapa Cloth, Humboldt Bay Area,
West Papua, collected at Mafiri
Village Humboldt bay 1986; the
tapa cloths from Lake Sentani and
Humboldt Bay in N.W. Irian Jaya,
are locally known as Maro Smo.
106 x 91cm
$200-400
Lot 212
A Tapa Cloth, Humboldt Bay Area,
West Papua, collected at Nafri
Village, Humboldt Bay, 1986; the
tapa cloths from Lake Sentani and
Humboldt Bay in N.W. Irian Jaya,
are locally known as Maro Smo.
110 x 96cm
$200-400
Lot 213
A Tapa Cloth, Lake Sentani Area,
West Papua, collected at Asei
Village, Lake Sentani 1986; fish and
fou motifs.
66 x 78cm
$200-400
Lot 214
A Tapa Cloth, Lake Sentani Area,
West Papua, collected at Asei
Village Lake Sentani, 1986; turtle
motif, the tapa cloths from Lake
Sentani and Humboldt Bay in N.W.
Irian Jaya, are locally known as
Maro Smo.
86 x 55cm
$200-400
Lot 215
A Tapa Cloth, Lake Sentani Area,
West Papua, Sago Grub Motif,
collected at Asei Village Lake
Sentani, 1986; the tapa cloths from
Lake Sentani and Humboldt Bay in
N.W. Irian Jaya, are locally known
as Maro Smo.
82 x 84cm
$200-400
Lot 216
Two Old Geelvink Bay Fishing
Floats, finely incised with scroll
designs.
20cm, 25cm (2)
$200-400
Lot 217
Two Old Geelvink Bay Canoe
Ornaments, field collected in
Wandaman Bay, North Coast West
Papua, 1985.
79cm, 159cm
$400-600
Lot 218
Four Old Geelvink Bay Canoe
Ornaments, field collected in
Wandaman Bay, North Coast West
Papua, 1985.
86 - 166cm (4)
$400-600
Lot 219
Two Old Geelvink Bay Canoe
Ornaments, field collected in
Wandaman Bay, North Coast West
Papua, 1985.
90cm each (2)
$400-600
Lot 220
Three Old Geelvink Bay Canoe
Ornaments, field collected in
Wandaman Bay, North Coast West
Papua, 1985.
78cm, 76cm, 76cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 221
An Omu Figure, Northwest Asmat,
Weo Village, Jerep River NW Asmat;
Collected by Todd Barlin.
"I made many trips to the Asmat
during the years 1985-1999 staying
several months each trip. This was
at a time when the area was mostly
closed to foreigners. I made
collections of artworks for many
public major museum collections
around the world." - Todd Barlin
Published & Exhibited: Oceanic Art
Pacifica 2014 at Casula Power
House Gallery Page 93.
200cm
$400-600
Lot 222
An Omu Figure, Weo Village, Jerep
River NW Asmat; Collected by Todd
Barlin.
"I made many trips to the Asmat
during the years 1985-1999 staying
several months each trip. This was
at a time when the area was mostly
closed to foreigners. I made
collections of artworks for many
public major museum collections
around the world." - Todd Barlin
Published & Exhibited: Oceanic Art
Pacifica 2014 at Casula Power
House Gallery Page 93.
207cm
$400-600
Lot 223
An Omu Figure, North West Asmat,
Irogo Village, Jerep River NW
Asmat; Collected by Todd Barlin; an
unusual form with both female and
male genitalia.
"I made many trips to the Asmat
during the years 1985-1999 staying
several months each trip. This was
at a time when the area was mostly
closed to foreigners. I made
collections of artworks for many
public major museum collections
around the world." - Todd Barlin
258cm
$400-600
Lot 224
An Ancestor Figure, Central Asmat,
sensitively carved by a master
caver or wow ipitsj, Todd Barlin
purchased this figure from the
Catholic Priest at Basim village in
the early 1980's. The penis is missing
as often the case with older figures,
sometimes they were removed as
not to offend the some people's
sensitivities.
83cm
$400-600
Lot 225
A Yamate Ancestor Board, Eastern
Mimika Area, Kekwa Village, South
Coast West Papua; this finely
carved and painted ancestor
board. Collected by Todd Barlin on
his first trip to the Mimika area in the
1980's.
180 x 20cm
$400-600
Lot 226
An Ancestor Figure, Central Asmat,
sensitively carved by a master
carver or wow ipitsj.
Provenance: Todd Barlin purchased
this figure from the Catholic priest
at Basim Village in the early 1980's.
46m
$400-600
Lot 227
A Rare Ancestor Figure, Wakde
Island, Sarmi Area, West Papua;
collected by Todd Barlin "This
unusual old and figure I found on a
field collecting trip to Wakde Island
off the coast of Sarmi district in
1986. It was broken with only one
arm intact, it shows obvious age
and wear." - Todd Barlin
39cm
$400-600
Lot 228
Two Old and Used Canoe Prow
Ornaments, Humboldt Bay Area,
West Papua; both on custom
stands, one is in the form of a Bird
and the other with a bird finial and
multiple stylized fish. Collected by
Todd Barlin.
"I Collected these at Depapre
Village in 1986. When I saw all the
canoes had these old Canoe
Ornaments and I asked to buy
some, the reaction was quite funny
they simply said "Of course not, we
need them for our Canoes for their
safety", meaning they still had great
importance in their culture. A few
people had old ones that were left
from relatives and these they were
willing to sell." - Todd Barlin
27cm, 47cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 229
An Old and Used Canoe Prow
Ornament, Humboldt Bay area,
West Papua; on a custom stand,
finely carved in the form of a bird
and stylized fish.
"I collected these in 1986. When I
saw all the canoes had these old
Canoe Ornaments and I asked to
buy some, the reaction was quite
funny they simply said "Of course
not , we need them for our Canoes
for their safety", meaning they still
had great importance in their
culture. A few people had old ones
that were left from relatives and
these they were willing to sell." -
Todd Barlin
52cm
$400-600
Lot 230
An Asmat Croix Seed Ceremonial
Vest, finely woven and decorated
with pieced croix seeds and tassels
of Cassowary feathers. These were
worn during important ceremonies
like Mbis or Canoe ceremonies.
55 x 39cm
$100-200
Lot 231
An Asmat Jipae Dance Costume,
Pupis Village, Wasar River, NW
Asmat Area; collected by Todd
Barlin.
"These costumes were used in a
1989 Jipae Ceremony that I
attended. I made many trips to the
Asmat during the years 1985-1999
staying several months each trip.
This was at a time when the area
was mostly closed to foreigners. I
made collections of artworks for
many public major museum
collections around the world." -
Todd Barlin
Exhibited: Monumental Sculptures
of West Papua in 2000, University of
Sydney College of Fine Arts, Part of
the Sydney Olympics Arts Festival
Exhibited and Published: Oceanic
Arts Pacifica 2014 Pages 18-19
Casula Power House Museum.
180cm
$600-800
Lot 232
An Asmat Jipae Dance Costume,
Pupis Village, Wasar River, NW
Asmat Area; Collected by Todd
Barlin.
"These costumes were used in a
1989 Jipae Ceremony that I
attended. I made many trips to the
Asmat during the years 1985-1999
staying several months each trip.
This was at a time when the area
was mostly closed to foreigners. I
made collections of artworks for
many public major museum
collections around the world." -
Todd Barlin
Exhibited: Monumental Sculptures
of West Papua in 2000, University of
Sydney College of Fine Arts, Part of
the Sydney Olympics Arts Festival
Exhibited and Published: Oceanic
Arts Pacifica 2014 Pages 18-19
Casula Power House Museum
180cm
$600-800
Lot 233
An Asmat Jipae Dance Costume,
Pupis Village, Wasar River, NW
Asmat Area; Collected by Todd
Barlin
"These costumes were used in a
1989 Jipae Ceremony that I
attended. I made many trips to the
Asmat during the years 1985-1999
staying several months each trip.
This was at a time when the area
was mostly closed to foreigners. I
made collections of artworks for
many public major museum
collections around the world." -
Todd Barlin
Exhibited: Monumental Sculptures
of West Papua in 2000, University of
Sydney College of Fine Arts, Part of
the Sydney Olympics Arts Festival
Exhibited and Published: Oceanic
Arts Pacifica 2014 Pages 18-19
Casula Power House Museum.
180cm
$600-800
Lot 234
Two Marind Anim Dema
Ornaments, in the form of sea birds,
these bird figures were used for a
Dema called Tetale. These fine
ornaments were used in the early
1990's in a Mayo Cult Dema
Ceremony in Okaba District. These
were left over from the collections
Todd Barlin made for major
museums including a full Dema
Ceremony now held at The Musee
du Quai Branly in Paris and another
at the Linden Museum in Stuttgart.
Note: This lot is not on display see
illustrations page 38
32cm
$400-600
Lot 235
An Important Marind Anim Stork
Dema Figure, Imo Cult, Used in
Dema Ceremony early 1990s; these
were left over from the collections
Todd Barlin made for major
museums including a full Dema
Ceremony now held at The Musee
du Quai Branly in Paris and another
at the Linden Museum in Stuttgart.
Note: This lot is not on display see
illustrations page 38
107 x 60cm
$600-800
Lot 236
A Group of Marind Anim Dema
Ornaments (Mayo Cult), these were
left over from the collections Todd
Barlin made for major museums
including a full Dema Ceremony
now held at The Musee du Quai
Branly in Paris and another at the
Linden Museum in Stuttgart.
Note: This lot is not on display see
illustrations page 38
$200-400
Lot 237
A Group of Marind Anim Dema
Ornaments (Imo Cult), these were
left over from the collections Todd
Barlin made for major museums
including a full Dema Ceremony
now held at The Musee du Quai
Branly in Paris and another at the
Linden Museum in Stuttgart.
Note: This lot is not on display see
illustrations page 38
$200-400
Lot 238
A Group of Marind Anim Dema
Ornaments (Mayo Cult), together
with a large bag (about 5kg) of
Marind Anim red Abrus seeds for
repairing Dema Costumes. These
were left over from the collections
Todd Barlin made for major
museums including a full Dema
Ceremony now held at The Musee
du Quai Branly in Paris and another
at the Linden Museum in Stuttgart.
Note: This lot is not on display see
illustrations page 38
$200-400
Lot 239
A Group of Marind Anim Dema
Ornaments (Imo Cult), including a
bird Dema figure. These were left
over from the collections Todd
Barlin made for major museums
including a full Dema Ceremony
now held at The Musee du Quai
Branly in Paris and another at the
Linden Museum in Stuttgart
Note: This lot is not on display see
illustrations page 38
$200-400
Lot 240
A Fine Marind Anim Stork Dema
Figure, this well documented Mayo
Stork Dema Figure was the one
piece Todd Barlin kept for himself
from the collections made for major
museums including a full Dema
Ceremony now held at The Musee
du Quai Branly in Paris and another
at the Linden Museum in Stuttgart.
Note: This lot is not on display see
illustrations page 38
106 x 63cm
$600-800
Lot 241
A Jipae Dance Costume, Sawa
Village, Northwest Asmat Area, this
finely woven costume was used in
a 1988 Jipae Ceremony, this
particular costume represented a
recently deceased child named
Verak.
$300-500
Lot 242
An Early Samoan Club and Spear,
late 19th - early 20th Century; both
finely carved from hard wood, the
club with incised lime filled designs.
Provenance: Ex. George Cann
Collection.
94cm, 105cm (2)
$600-800
Lot 243
Three Old War Clubs, Vanuatu
Provenance: Ex. George Cann
Collection.
64cm, 76cm, 77cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 244
Four Old Fijian Throwing Clubs (ula),
19th Century; one with extensive
vertical notches along shaft.
Provenance: Ex. Robert Henry
Pulleine Collection.
35cm, 41cm, 42cm, 45cm (4)
$400-600
Lot 245
Three Old Solomon Island's Clubs,
19th Century; these are the three
main types of clubs made and
used on Malaita Island. One a
"Subi" Type. One a very early Dia
Type Club with incised decoration
on hand grip. One Alafolo type.
Provenance: South Seas
Evangelical Mission (active late
19th - early 20th Century)
75cm, 96cm, 92cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 246
Two Old Rennell Island Clubs and
an old Ambrym Island Club, 81cm,
92cm, 79cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 247
Two Fine Fijian Pole Clubs, 19th
Century; Both with fine incised
designs on lower section of the
clubs, the butts of both clubs are
concave, one pierced for fibre
strap and retaining an old
collection number 58:297, both with
fine old reddish brown patina
overall.
Provenance: Ex. Robert Henry
Pulleine Collection.
102cm, 105.5cm (2)
$600-800
Lot 248
An Ancient Stone Axe, Southern
Highlands, New Guinea, 19th
Century; ancient glossy patina and
original hard green stone.
Collected by Todd Barlin.
"In 1985 I walked with medical
patrol from Lake Kopiago in the
Southern Highlands to the Hewa
People (they are between the
Southern Highlands and East Sepik
Province) It took three days of up
and down mountains and on the
third late afternoon we ran into our
first group of Hewa People, to say
the least they were surprised to see
me & the three other unknown
Papuan New Guineans. They had
not seen any outsiders for 10-15
years. They did not wear western
clothes and still lived in the very tall
tree houses, mostly untouched and
unnoticed by the outside world. I
asked about material culture and
they seemed only to have
beautifully made arrows and this
Axe was also offered for trade. See
the attached field photos of my trip
to Hewa. The men I met that first
day, every man and boy was
carrying a bow and arrows" - Todd
Barlin
55 x 50cm
$300-400
Lot 249
A Superb Large Vanuatu Club, 19th
Century, Malekula Island; this very
old club was made for a large
warrior, it is a third bigger than other
examples of this type of club, it is
made from a heavy hard wood
and has a fine old reddish brown
patina.
Provenance: Ex. George Cann
Collection
139cm
$600-800
Lot 250
A Fine Large Santa Cruz Island
Dance Club, late 19th Century;
called Napa, in a classical shape of
a canoe with fine painted black
geometric designs and pierced lugs
on the sides for fibre decorations.
The Napa dance is part of a series
of ceremonies that take place at
feasts to celebrate the different
stages of maturation of children. In
some islands this involves many
children simultaneously, resulting in
large gatherings. In the dance, two
lines of men perform intricate steps
whilst striking each other's clubs.
Provenance: Chris and Anna
Thorpe, Sydney
111cm
$600-800
Lot 251
A Fine Old Parrying Club, San
Christobal Island, Easter Solomon
Islands, late 19th Century; made
from hardwood and has a deep
old patina overall. A small figure at
the butt of the club. This type of San
Christobal Parrying Club (Qauata)
had a very distinctive sickle shape
and was especially well adapted to
parrying spears. They were also
used in ceremonial dances.
Provenance: Ex. George Cann
Collection.
122cm
$600-800
Lot 252
A Bird Head Shaped Club, New
Caledonia, of fine elongated
beaked form, made from
hardwood.
Provenance: Ex. George Cann
Collection
77 x 46cm
$800-1,200
Lot 253
A Fine Early Vanuatu Club, Efate
Island, 19th Century; made from
hardwood with old patina and
original fibre sling.
Provenance: Ex. George Cann
Collection.
80cm
$400-600
Lot 254
A Malaita Island Supe Club, Eastern
Solomon Islands, 19th Century; of
classic diamond shape striking
section, tapering handle and fibre
grip.
Provenance: South Seas
Evangelical Mission (active late
19th - early 20th Century)
77.5cm
$600-800
Lot 255
Two Old Mendi Valley Axes,
Southern Highlands, Papua New
Guinea; together with another old
Highlands axe on a custom stand.
Provenance: Collected By Warwick
Irvine in 1968.
57cm x 50cm, 51cm (2)
$300-400
Lot 256
An Fine and Early Massim Wealth
Axe, Late 19th Century; finely
carved with stylized bird heads on
the top and handle, the axe has its
original green stone intact, old use
patina.
Provenance: Ex. Friede Collection.
61cm
$600-800
Lot 257
An old Food Stirrer, Huon Gulf, with
a finely carved stylized human
figure, together with a Sepik River
food stirrer with fine old ancestor
figure finial.
81cm, 65cm (2)
$600-800
Lot 258
A Fine Early Vanuatu Nalot
Pounder, late 19th or early 20th
Century; probably Vao Island, with
two stylized triangular shaped
heads on the finial and old use
patina.
Provenance: Alex Philips,
Melbourne
64cm
$400-600
Lot 259
A Club, Malekula Island, this club is
carved from hardwood with an
ancestors face on
either side of the striking section.
Provenance: Ex. Nicolai
Mitchoutchkine Collection.
98cm
$800-1,200
Lot 260
Forty Eight Arrows and An Ancient
Wood Bow, these arrows are of the
highest quality; collected by Todd
Barlin.
"In 1985 I walked with medical
patrol from Lake Kopiago in the
Southern Highlands to the Hewa
People (they are between the
Southern Highlands and East Sepik
Province) It took three days of up
and down mountains and on the
third late afternoon we ran into our
first group of Hewa People, to say
the least they were surprised to see
me & the three other unknown
Papuan New Guineans. They had
not seen any outsiders for 10-15
years. They did not wear western
clothes and still lived in the very tall
tree houses, mostly untouched and
unnoticed by the outside world. I
asked about material culture and
they seemed only to have
beautifully made arrows and this
Axe was also offered for trade. See
the attached field photos of my trip
to Hewa. The men I met that first
day, every man and boy was
carrying a bow and arrows" - Todd
Barlin
(48)
$400-600
Lot 261
Forty Eight Arrows and An Ancient
Wood Bow, these arrows are of the
highest quality; collected by Todd
Barlin.
"In 1985 I walked with medical
patrol from Lake Kopiago in the
Southern Highlands to the Hewa
People (they are between the
Southern Highlands and East Sepik
Province) It took three days of up
and down mountains and on the
third late afternoon we ran into our
first group of Hewa People, to say
the least they were surprised to see
me & the three other unknown
Papuan New Guineans. They had
not seen any outsiders for 10-15
years. They did not wear western
clothes and still lived in the very tall
tree houses, mostly untouched and
unnoticed by the outside world. I
asked about material culture and
they seemed only to have
beautifully made arrows and this
Axe was also offered for trade. See
the attached field photos of my trip
to Hewa. The men I met that first
day, every man and boy was
carrying a bow and arrows" - Todd
Barlin
(48)
$400-600
Lot 262
Four Hardwood Spears, 19th
Century; collected in 1968 in the
Mendi Valley by Warwick Irvine.
Note: One with bone tip, the trident
spear has been cut down for
shipping but can be rejoined.
215 - 290cm
$200-300
Lot 263
Two Old Angu (Kukukuku) War
Clubs, Morobe Province, early 20th
Century; one on a custom stand.
The Angu people, also called
Kukukuku, are a small and
previously violent tribe, they are
speaking a number of related
languages and living mainly in the
high, mountainous region of south-
western Morobe Province. Even
though they are a short people,
often less than 5 foot, they were
once feared for their violent raids
on more peaceful villages living in
lower valleys. These are two of their
main type of clubs, the sickle
shapes to attack people hiding
behind their war shields and the
round headed type used to hit
people on the head. Both of these
clubs have remnants of fine ochre
painting from when the clubs were
used for dance ceremonies
60cm, 71cm
$400-600
Lot 264
Two Old Alafolo Clubs, Malaita
Island, Solomon Islands, both of
these genuine old clubs were
collected by Todd Barlin in the
Kwaio Area of Central Malaita in
the early 1980's. Kwaio People are
the last fully traditional people by
choice living in the isolated
mountain areas.
"I was invited to visit and went with
Kwaio people and it was a most
interesting trip due to the many
prohibitions for their traditional
culture." - Todd Barlin
Provenance: The South Seas
Evangelical Mission Collection Early
20th Century
101cm, 118cm
$600-800
Lot 265
A Fine Old Mount Hagen Axe,
together with a fine old hafted
Massim adze, with incised stylised
birds on handle and finial.
68 x 76cm, 78 x 52cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 266
Two Fine Old Ramu River Area
Paddles, with a finely incised
stylized ancestor figure on both
sides of the blade and full ancestor
figure finial to top of paddle.
Exhibited: Pacific Navigation
Exhibition 2013 at Casula
Powerhouse Gallery.
217cm, 248cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 267
Two Old Mimika Paddles, Mimika
Area, South Coast West Papua;
finely incised with classical abstract
Mimika designs that represent
ancestor figures like on Yamate
boards.
Exhibited: Pacific Navigation
Exhibition 2013 at Casula
Powerhouse Gallery
203cm, 204cm
$400-600
Lot 268
Two Fine Old Paddles, Humboldt
Bay, finely incised designs including
stylized fish on both sides of the
paddle blade.
Exhibited: Pacific Navigation
Exhibition 2013 at Casula
Powerhouse Gallery.
185cm, 205cm (2)
$600-800
Lot 269
Three Old Canoe Paddles, Lake
Sentani, finely incised traditional
designs including stylised fish on
both sides of the paddle blade
Exhibited: Pacific Navigation
Exhibition 2013 at Casula
Powerhouse Gallery.
158cm, 164cm, 165cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 270
Three Old Canoe Paddles, Lake
Sentani, finely incised designs
including stylized fish on both sides
of the paddle blade.
Exhibited: Pacific Navigation
Exhibition 2103 at Casual
Powerhouse Gallery.
165cm, 171cm, 174cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 271
Three Old Canoe Paddles, Lake
Sentani, finely incised traditional
designs including stylized fish on
both sides of the paddle blade.
Exhibited: Pacific Navigation
Exhibition 2013 at Casula
Powerhouse Gallery.
170cm, 145cm, 171cm (3)
$400-600
Lot 272
An Old Wood Trumpet, Sepik River
Area, finely incised over entire
surface the finial is carved with
small crocodile head.
40cm
$300-500
Lot 273
Two Sepik River Figures, both are
sculptural fragments; left is off a
neckrest and right is
off a paddle.
18cm, 24cm (2)
$300-500
Lot 274
A Finely Carved and Decorated
Wood Trumpet, Sepik River; the finial
depicting an important ancestor
and with abstract designs lower
down.
65.5cm
$300-500
Lot 275
A Solomon Island Dance Wand,
North Malaita Island, in the form of
a stylized hornbill bird, with painted
clan designs on
both sides.
34 x 21cm
$200-300
Lot 276
A Fine Bougainville Female
Ancestor Figure, in the naturalistic
form of a beautiful young woman,
circa 1930's -1940's.
52cm
$400-600
Lot 277
A Chalkstone or Coral Head,
Manning Strait, Solomon Islands; this
finely carved head with incised
designs consisting of concentric
circles and chevrons on the face
that probably represented facial
tattooing. This head is very similar to
one in the collection of the
Australian Museum collected
before 1921, and currently on
display in the Museums "Pacific
Spirits" exhibition. This piece was
acquired from an Australian Expat
that lived in the Solomon Islands for
over 50 years.
27 x 22cm
$1,500-2,500
Lot 278
A Carved Club, Middle Sepik River
Area, finely carved from hardwood
with a face at the top which has a
lizard or crocodile touching the
chin, lower down is a second
smaller face and traditional Sepik
designs over the entire front. The
reverse has remnants of an old
label.
127cm
$300-400
Lot 279
A Neckrest Papuan Gulf, in the form
of a dog, finely carved with incised
designs and ochre decorations.
79 x 19cm
$400-600
Lot 280
An Iatmul Middle Sepik Mwai Mask,
finely carved of classic form, inlaid
shell work and pig tusks traces of
ochre painted designs, the nose of
the mask ending with a small
crouching bird figure. Purchased in
New Zealand, 1985.
78.5cm
$300-400
Lot 281
A Female Ancestor Figure, Middle
Sepik, a sensitively carved figure
made from hardwood, cowrie shell
eyes and traces of original ochre
painted designs on face and body.
66 x 26cm
$300-400
Lot 282
A Papuan Gulf, Kakame Figure,
these figures are carved from the
roots of the mangrove tree, and
represent powerful spirits that dwell
in the bush in isolated swamps or at
the ends of small rivers. Kakame are
highly revered clan totems.
85 x 62cm
$300-500
Lot 283
A Gope Board, Papuan Gulf, well
carved and with ochre infill designs.
113 x 20cm
$300-500
Lot 284
A Resin Cast Solomon Islands
Figure, this is a resin copy of the
famous Solomon Islands figure on
display at
the Auckland Museum. The
museum used to sell resin replicas
of original pieces in their
collections. It is made in the 1970's
and are now collector's items in
their own category of museum
reproductions.
65cm
$300-400
Lot 285
An Early Asmat Female Ancestor
Figure, Ocenep Village, circa
1950's-1960's; Ex Catholic Mission
Collection, Basim Village, Coastal
Asmat.
55cm
$400-600
Lot 286
A Fine and Early New Ireland
Tatanua Mask, early 20th Century;
the face is finely carved and
painted, with ear ornaments intact.
Provenance: Sotheby's Australia,
November 28th 1993, illustrated in
catalogue lot 42.
30 x 37cm
$8,000-12,000
Lot 287
A Ceremonial Bat Figure, Middle
Sepik, this finely carved hard wood
bat figure has incised circular
designs on its wings, the eyes have
small Nassa shell inlays and traces
of ochre, on a custom made stand.
Provenance: Senta Taft Hendry
(1924-2014); Field collected by
Senta Taft Hendry in the 1960's
Exhibited: Oceanic Arts Pacifica,
Casula Powerhouse Gallery 2014
91cm x 34cm
$2,000-3,000
Lot 288
A Karawari Figure Fragment (head
only), Yimar People, Upper
Karawari River.
Provenance: Ex. Barry Hoare
Collection
39cm
$400-600
Lot 289
A Dance Mask, Ramu River Area,
finely carved and painted with red
ochre and Rickets Blue (soap
bleach) the nose showing the multi-
layered nose ornaments called
"Ondogo ". When this mask was
used ceremonially, it would have
been just the face of an elaborate
costume that covered the entire
body of the dancer during the
ceremony. These ceremonies are
very important to the well-being of
the entire community, they insure
safety from malevolent spirits, insure
that the crops will grow and that
people's behaviour will be guided
by their ancestors.
52cm
$600-800
Lot 290
A Gope Board, Papuan Gulf, finely
carved and painted with red and
white ochres.
151 x 31cm
$400-600
Lot 291
A Dance Mask, Ramu River or
Coastal Sepik Area, finely carved
and painted with the red ochre,
the round eyes are made from cut
pearl shell. When this mask was
used ceremonially, it would have
been just the face of an elaborate
costume that covered the entire
body of the dancer during the
ceremony. These ceremonies are
very important to the well-being of
the entire community, they insure
safety from malevolent spirits, insure
that the crops will grow and that
people's behaviour will be guided
by their ancestors.
37cm
$600-800
Lot 292
A Basketry and Clay Flute Mask,
Yuat River, the strong and finely
woven rattan base of this large
mask is covered by clay wand shell
wealth objects imbedded as
decorations, the three dimensional
face is made from a coconut and
has traces of ochre paint.
93 x 31cm
$400-600
Lot 293
An Old Middle Sepik Basket Hook,
this old and well used basket hook
is finely carved with two back to
back spirit faces and old patina.
Provenance: Collected in the 1960's
by Father Benedict from the
Catholic Mission in Angoram, Lower
Sepik, Paulian Mission Society
61cm x 26cm
$600-800
Lot 294
A Neckrest, Eastern Highlands
Province, in the form of as stylized
dog figure with head at either end,
pecked designs on heads and old
patina. Collected by Peter Hallinan
in the 1970's, Okapa District, Eastern
Highlands.
58cm
$400-600
Lot 295
An Abelam Digging Stick Finial, this
carving is the finial off a 2.5 meter
heavy Palm wood Yam Digging
Stick. Yams are the most important
food for the Abelam People and
integral to their ceremonies, the top
of the old digging sticks always had
the face of an ancestor that
helped ensure a bountiful crop.
86cm
$300-500
Lot 296
Two Karawari River Figure Heads
Fragments,
42cm, 52cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 297
A Fine Old Massim Ghena Wealth
Spatula, 19th Century; In the
Louisiade Archipelago there are
crescent-shaped Wealth Spatula
made of wood and turtle shell and
their primary purpose is to display a
form of red shell money currency
known as bagi. These wealth
objects were given to a widow
during elaborate funeral feasting
ceremonies and also used for other
traditional payments.
28 x 17cm
$1,500-2,000
Lot 298
A Net Weaving Shuttle and Two
Wood Needles, Lake Sentani, late
19th or early 20th Century; the
shuttle has Sentani designs Incised
on both sides, the top with two
lizards, both weaving needles
deeply incised with Fou design.
Shuttle: 46cm, Needles: 24cm each
(3)
$400-600
Lot 299
Two Fine Dance Wands, in the form
of Birds, Malaita Island, with ochre
painted designs on both sides.
49cm, 52cm (2)
$200-300
Lot 300
A Finely Woven Basketry Fish Trap,
unknown if Australian or New
Guinea.
110cm
$200-300
Lot 301
Three Old Bows and Spear, two very
old bows from the Southern
Highlands, together with an orchid
stem fibre covered bow from
Bougainville Island ( in near perfect
original condition), and a Mount
Hagen spear finial. Collected by
Todd Barlin
"Two Bows were collected In 1985 I
walked with medical patrol from
Lake Kopiago in the Southern
Highlands to the Hewa People
(they are between the Southern
Highlands & East Sepik Province) It
took three days of up and down
mountains and on the third late
afternoon we ran into our first group
of Hewa People, to say the least
they were surprised to see me and
the three other unknown Papuan
New Guineans. They had not seen
any outsiders for 10-15 years. They
did not wear western clothes & still
lived in the very tall tree houses,
mostly untouched & unnoticed by
the outside world. I asked about
material culture and they seemed
only to have beautifully made
arrows and this Axe was also
offered for trade. See the attached
field photos of my trip to Hewa. The
men I met that first day, every man
and boy were carrying a bow and
arrows." - Todd Barlin
90 - 172cm (4)
$200-300
Lot 302
A Garra Mask, Hunstien Mountains,
East Sepik Province, finely carved
and ochre painted designs, on
custom made stand.
83cm
$400-600
Lot 303
Four New Guinea Artefacts,
including an old food bowl, woven
pot ring; Ex Allen Christensen
Collection No.cc60720, a carved
face Vao Island, Malekula and a
finely incised Keram River bamboo
lime container.
29 - 56cm (4)
$200-300
Lot 304
A Fine Old Ancestor Figure, Keram
River, New Guinea.
Provenance: collected in 1967 by
Peter Mann, Ex Alex Philips,
Melbourne.
35cm
$400-600
Lot 305
Two Fine Old Abelam Bird Carvings,
one a long beaked bird with fine
ochre painted designs on a custom
stand, the other made from
bamboo and ochre painted
decorations, used to present betel
nut during important ceremonies.
55cm, 70cm
$400-600
Lot 306
A Yina Figure, Kwoma People,
Waskuk Area, Upper Sepik, this very
expressive Yina has all the attributes
of good Kwoma Sculpture, looking
at the side view the nose is
suspended from the forehead,
much of the original ochre painted
designs intact.
101cm
$800-1,000
Lot 307
Two Finely Woven Abelam Baba
Tagwa Masks,
38cm, 45cm (2)
$400-600
Lot 308
A Fine Fishing Basket, Nissan Island,
Nissan is a small Island close to
Bougainville and culturally related
to the Western Solomon Islands
cultures.
49cm
$200-300
Lot 309
A Bird Shaped Dance Wand, North
Malaita Island, Eastern Solomon
Islands, beautifully carved and
painted on both sides.
53cm
$300-400
Lot 310
Two Sepik River Ancestor Figures,
both of good form with traces of
ochre and feather decorations.
36cm, 46cm (2)
$300-500
Lot 311
Six Cassowary Bone Daggers,
including: four from the Abelam
area, one which is a very fine and
old dagger with a spirit face, two
are from the Asmat area with
woven tops and cassowary and
seeded ornamentation.
34 - 38cm (6)
$600-800
Lot 312
Four Miscellaneous Wood Artefacts,
28 - 48cm
$200-300
Reference
Noted Collections
B.L Hornshaw (1878-1937); Hornshaw was an avid collector of
Pacific and Australian Aboriginal artefacts, he received many
of his pieces from people who lived and worked in the Pacific
in the late 19th Century.
Tebbenham; Tebbenham was on the Navy Ship the HSM
Mohawk 1898 on a punitive expedition to the Western Solomon
Islands due to head hunting raids on the neighbouring Islands.
George Cann (1890s-1965); Cann was known as the snake
man of La Perouse, entertaining crowds when he worked at La
Perouse from 1920 until the 1960s. He was a legendary collector
of snakes from areas around Australia and the Pacific Islands,
In his yard, he created large pits that were used to house his
snake collection. He was the curator of reptiles at the Taronga
Park Zoo for 20 years, and died of a stroke in 1965.
Nicolai Mitchoutchkine; Mitchoutchkine had a large Oceanic
Art Collection that toured Europe, the USA and Japan In the
1980's, he made two publications; "Ethnography & Art of
Oceania", The Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 1989.
Robert Henry Pulleine (1869-1935); physician and naturalist,
born in New Zealand, spent his childhood in Fiji, the family
moved to Adelaide in 1881. In the South Australian Museum he
developed his interest in natural science, he taught at the
Adelaide collegiate school before entering the University of
Adelaide in 1892, completing his medical training at the
University of Sydney Medical School (M.B, Ch.M, 1898) and
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
From 1900 Pulleine worked at the Queensland mining town of
Gympie, he took his family to Gottingen, Germany in 1905 to
study diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. After further
study in Britain, he returned in 1907 to Adelaide to become a
highly respected consultant in the diseases. Pulliene's practice
supported his interests, particularly collecting trips to Tasmania
and Central Australia. His valuable collection of books,
Aboriginal artefacts and paintings were housed in a twenty-
two room house in Nertheby, SA.
Pulleine published many medical and scientific pamphlets and
articles overseas and in Australia. He died of pneumonia in
1935. His extensive library and ethnographic collection were
auctioned, part of his collection had been exhibited at the
South Australian Centennial Exhibition in 1936 and the South
Australian Museum bought some of the Australian ethnologia.
A large collection of Pulliene’s Aboriginal ethnographic
material had been sold to Scandinavia in the 1920s.
Tost & Rohu; From 1872 to the 1930's, Jane Tost and her
daughter Ada, who was married to Naturalist and artefact
collector Henry Rohu, founded Tost & Rohu, a fancy work
Depot and taxidermy studio. It was during the late nineteenth
century that the company focused on selling furs and
Ethnographic material. From the 1890's the company claimed
to stock the largest collection of Pacific Islander and Australian
material in the country.
Stanley Moriarty (1906-1978); Moriarty was an avid collector of
New Guinea art in the 1950'-1960s. He made several field
collecting trips to the Highlands of New Guinea and his fine
collection was partially gifted, and sold to, The Art Gallery of
NSW. Some of these pieces were first displayed in the seminal
exhibition 'Melanesian Art', curated by Tony Tuckson in 1966;
other works acquired by Moriarty were exhibited in 'Aboriginal
and Melanesian Art' at the AGNSW in 1973.
Warwick Irvine; Irvine was sent to Mendi to build the first
government school there and start teaching in the late 1960s
Allan D. Christensen; Christensen founded The Christensen
Fund as a private foundation in California in 1957. Allen, who
was a civil and mining engineer, served as president of the
Utah Mining and Construction Company for many years. He
was an enthusiastic and eclectic traveller and art collector
with wide intellectual interests.
Beginning in the early 1970s, The Christensen Fund added to its
various mostly San Francisco Bay Area-based charitable and
educational activities the acquisition of fine arts and
ethnographic artefacts. Its first art collection was a group of
Pomo Indian baskets that are now at Harvard University's
Peabody Museum. From 1972 to 1999 the fund was a private
operating foundation, its operations being the collection and
loan of as many as 35,000 pieces of what it then called "Non-
Western Art" to major museums for their study and exhibition in
Australia, Europe and the United States.
Francis Edgar Williams (1893-1953); Williams was the assistant
government anthropologist in Papua in 1922-24 and a keen
collector of Ethnography.
Lord Alistair McAlpine (1942-2014); a British businessman,
politician and author who was an advisor to Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher, he was a lifetime collector in many fields
including Aboriginal art. He was an early collector of the
American painter Mark Rothko and could easily see the
sophisticated aesthetics of Aboriginal art and artefacts.
Peter Hallinan Peter Hallinan had one of the finest Oceanic Art
collections ever assembled in Australia. He made numerous
field collecting trips to many remote areas in Papua New
Guinea, some of his collection was sold by Sotheby's London,
December 7, 1992.
Leo Fleishmann; Fleischmann was the manager of Gallery
Primitif in Sydney from 1967 to 1993, and he had one of the
finest collections of Oceanic Clubs and Ethnographic in the
world, later sold by Sotheby's Australia December 4, 1994
Ceremonial Arts
Tapa Cloths Early accounts of the local people making and wearing decorated tapa cloth are sketchy, but it seems that married women wore tapa
skirts which were decorated with designs. An early photograph by the ethnographer Paul Wirtz in 1926 shows a large painted tapa cloth displayed next to
the grave of a young woman.
There is evidence to suggest that the manufacture of painted tapa cloths during this period was stimulated by European interest in collecting them. In 1929
Jacques Viot, the French surrealist author and art dealer made a trip to the area and collected a number of tapa cloths that were later exhibited in Paris.
These works of art had a great impact on the Paris art scene at that time. Many early 20th Century artists such as Picasso and Joan Miro were influenced by
these tapa paintings.
During the WWII and through the 1950s it seems that the practice of making decorated tapa cloth had largely died out. It was in again in the 1970's that
European interest brought about a new revival of Tapa painting. This encouragement was essential to the continuity of the art from and its progression as a
unique contemporary art style.
Many of the design elements in these contemporary Tapa Cloths are very old traditional designs, but these also have been changed and added by
individual artistic creativity. One of the main Lake Sentani motifs Fouw, an interlocking spiral design which is said to represent eternity and is associated with
power of Chief's. The Fouw design is commonly used on many types of carved objects from the Lake Sentani area, including canoes, paddles, bowls and
other items. Other common motifs are animals, birds and fish that are plentiful in their natural environment. There is also depictions powerful mythological
spirits that inhabit the bush and the ocean.
The best tapa cloth painters of the 1970's and 1980's era are now deceased. (Lot 208 – 216)
Omu Figures Omu is the name of the type of spirit figure and the ceremony that it belongs. The Omu ceremony only happens in a few small villages in
the remote NW Asmat Area. (Lot 221, 222, 223)
Jipae Dance Costumes Jipae costumes represent the recently deceased in the village, they represent both men and/or women and all have a
personal name. The ceremony helps the spirits of the deceased pass over to the otherworld. (Lot 231, 232, 233, 241)
Bulul Figures 'Bulul' are guardians of rice granaries, and are very important in Ifugao society, where rice is the staple crop. The Ifugao believe that 'bululs'
are responsible for plentiful harvests of rice, and that the deities can also miraculously increase the amount of rice available.
Making 'Bulul' sculptures is a long and complex process, these figures are traditionally made in pairs - one male and one female. Upon completion of the
carving, the 'Bulul' figures are installed in a rice granary. A number of ceremonies accompany the placement, including putting blood on the figures. The
lumpy coating on this figure is evidence of these rituals. (Lot 90, 91)
Baba Tagwa Masks the Abelam and neighbouring peoples of the Prince Alexander Mountains in the Sepik region of northeast New Guinea create
several types of basketry masks. They include the type seen here, known in the Abelam language as baba tagwa, which is worn over the head like a
helmet, as well as the yam masks used to decorate the gigantic long yams grown and exchanged competitively by Abelam men. Among the Abelam,
baba tagwa masks are associated with the male initiation cycle, in which they are worn by men clad in shaggy costumes made from strips of leaves.
During certain ceremonies, these imposing masked figures serve as guards. Brandishing lengths of bamboo or other weapons, the baba tagwa drive off
women, children, and uninitiated men, who are not permitted to witness the secret initiation rites. (Lot 307)
Yina Figures Yina is the first of the yam harvest ceremonies. The basic iconographic feature is a highly stylized representation of the human head. The
head is greatly enlarged with a prominent nose, disembodied and with a long pointed shaft. The most striking feature of the face is the nose, a common
Sepik symbol of the phallus.
Though strong symbols of maleness permeate the sculptural form, the Yina can be designated either male or female. Yina represent spirits known as
sikilawos, which have great power and are responsible for the continuing fertility of the yam gardens.
Older Yina's are hidden in garden huts, away from the village. They have acquired power over time and through use. New carvings are required from time
to time; power is not inherent, but develops in the process of carving and painting. Yina is one of three distinct ceremonies held annually in the villages of
the Kwoma, Nukuma and Mayo speakers of the Upper Sepik River (Lot 306)
Canoe Prow Ornaments these finely carved canoe ornaments were from a large war canoe that is no longer made, they were kept as memories of
the grandparents and great grandparents that once made them. They are also used as a bride price wealth object for exchanges. (Lots 217, 218, 219, 220)
Glass Earrings traditionally called "dimbo" in the local Waropen language, they were an important type of traditional wealth used for bride price
payments, other types of compensation payments and for goods, especially bird of paradise skins that Malay traders came to obtain by trading glass and
metal objects. It is thought that this trade went over 2000 - 3000 years, in an archaeological dig in Lake Sentani they found "Dong Song" Bronze age axe
heads, kettle drums and ancient glass ornaments.
Some of these glass earrings are of great antiquity and are certainly based on the glass tear drop shaped ornaments from the "Dong Song” bronze age
culture of Vietnam (1000 BC to 1 BC).
In the late 19th century people from Eastern Indonesia, brought forge and bellows technology to this area of New Guinea, this gave them a rudimentary
metal working technique and also glass melting technology, which allowed them to make their own glass earrings from old bottles that were also highly
valued trade items. (Lot 32)
Barava and Bokolo The most complex clam shell objects were Barava, ornate openwork plaques created in the western Solomon Islands. The designs
on some Barava are geometric, but many include stylized human figures interspersed with forms that resemble faces, shown with spiral eyes and grinning
mouths filled with minute teeth. Barava appear to have been associated with burial places and were reportedly used to adorn structures housing the skulls
of prominent men, slain enemies or placed on graves. In the past, some Barava formed part of vovoso, powerful charms carried in war canoes during head
hunting expeditions to protect the crew and ensure success. (Lot 3, 4, 6, 13)
Illustrated Lots
Due to the fragile nature of these ceremonial dance costumes this illustrated lots have not been unpacked for display
Lot 234 Lot 235 Lot 236
Lot 237 Lot 238
Lot 239 Lot 240
*See field photos of these lots being worn for the dance ceremony
Upcoming Auctions
Select Entries Invited
Art. Asian. Jewels 12 October 2015
Motorclassica 24 October 2015
Militaria November 2015
Aboriginal & Oceanic Art November 2015
See back page for department contacts
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