Oceanic Art
Tami Islands Ceremonial Spoon, Museum quality piece.
Tami Islands Ceremonial Spoon, Museum quality piece.
A TAMI ISLAND MASTERPIECE
A 19th Century ritual spoon from Tami Islands, Huon Gulf, Papua New Guinea.
This spoon made by a Tami Islands master carver is very rare with a magnificent ancestor figure standing on top of the handle. The stylized legs of the figure is both legs and body of a fish curved in a circle. The spoon has also a very fine carved ancestor head on the middle part. The powerful ancestor figure combined with excellent craftmanship and balance gives this object a very strong expression.
The patina from long time usage is fantastic, figure and head encrusted with a thick layer of very glossy patina.
Excellent condition.
We are happy to introduce this earlier unknown masterpiece.
The spoon is now published in the catalog " Between the Known and Unknown: New Guinea Art from Astrolabe Bay to Morobe". Edited by Michael Hamson, 2016.
H. 55 cm, 21.65 in
Some photos by Frédéric Dehaen, who took the photos for the catalog.
Price on request