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Fine Tribal, Aboriginal Art & International Antiquities — Guy Earl-Smith & Antiquity

Auction House:Guy Earl-Smith & AntiquityNumber of lots recorded:226
Sale Title:Fine Tribal, Aboriginal Art & International AntiquitiesLots with images:216
Auction Location:SydneyPrices available:89
Date:6-Sep-2009
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A fine ethnographic Southern Highlands shield (mendi), of wood in slender ovoid form, the anterior decorated with incised and stippled motifs, pierced with old cane grip attached, smooth glossy patina, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 121 x 40 cm.
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A Southern Highlands War Shield (mendi), the anterior decorated with polychrome pigments, pierced with rope grip to rear, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 136 x 41 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Southern Highlands war shield (mendi), of wood, the anterior with raised medial ridge and decorated with polychrome pigments, pierced with rope grip to rear, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 129 x 41 cm.
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A Southern Highlands war shield (mendi), of wood, the anterior decorated with polychrome pigments, pierced with rope grip to rear, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 113 x 50 cm.
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A fine Southern Highlands shield (mendi), of wood, the anterior with raised medial ridge, decorated with incised geometric motifs and polychrome pigments, pierced with rope grip to rear, old resin repair, usewear evident, Papua New Guinea, 115 x 38 cm.
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A fine Southern Highlands shoulder shield, of wood in classic ovoid form with sectioned apex, the anterior with old resin repair decorated with incised linear motifs and polychrome pigments, pierced with rope grip to rear, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 81 x 33 cm.
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A Superb Ethnographic Kwoma Battle Shield, the cane frame with crocodile hide attached with cane binding complete with coconut shell eyelet guard to the rear, old encrustations, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 162 x 77 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection, ex-collection J Elmslie Note: This shield has been exhibited in the Shields of Oceania exhibition at the Sydney College of the Arts and Arts Society curated by Mr Geoff Carey during the Olympic Arts Festival, September 2000. Also published and…
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A superb Wahgi Valley battle shield, of wood in classic robust rectangular form, the convex anterior decorated with polychrome pigments, old cane and resin repair at apex, pierced with cane and rope grip to rear, usewear evident, Papua New Guinea, 159 x 68 cm
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A Fine Wahgi Valley Battle Shield, of wood in robust rectangular form, the convex anterior decorated with polychrome pigments and stippled motifs, pierced with wire, cane and fibre grip to rear, wood and wire attachments, inscribed with white paint, old repairs, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 172 x 57 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Transitional Highlands War Shield, of beaten sheet metal the convex anterior with pierced apex, decorated with polychrome trade paints, pierced for grip attachments to rear,Papua New Guinea, 170 x 76 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection, ex-collection New Guinea Arts Australia, acquired from the Sigisup subgroup in the Western Highlands
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An Ethnographic Lumi War Shield, of wood, the convex anterior incised with curvilinear motifs, pierced with cane grip to rear, old resin and earth cover, weathered, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 113 x 59 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A superb Asmat shield, of dense wood in monumental form, the anterior decorated with classic figurative motifs in relief, polychrome pigments, the rear with raised grip, Irian Jaya, 240 x 75 cm.
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An Early Asmat Ancestor Pole (mbis), c.1960s, of wood sculpted in classic openwork form with three superpositioned ancestors, decorated with incised scarification motifs, fibre tassels and remnant polychrome pigments, weathered, Irian Jaya, 225 x 26 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection, ex-collection George MacDonald, Melbourne
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A Fine Asmat Dance Costume (jipaee), of woven cane and fibre with grass tassels, the upper section adorned with wood projections, decorated with polychrome pigments, Kapi Village, West Asmat, Irian Jaya, 125 x 156 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Fine Asmat Dance Costume (jipaee), of woven fibre with grass tassels adorned with wood to upper section, decorated with polychrome pigments, Kapi Village, West Asmat, Irian Jaya, 142 x 106 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Papuan Gulf Ancestor Sculpture (kakame), of wood in abstract female form, decorated with figurative motifs in relief, polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 108 x 56 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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An ethnographic Washkuk ancestor sculpture (nogwi), c.early 20th century, of wood in the form of a female, decorated with polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 113 x 33 cm.
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An Ethnographic Kwoma Sculpture (yena), of wood in the form of a yam ancestor, resin set shell eyes, the pendulous nose with pierced septum, decorated with polychrome pigments and fibre tassels,Papua New Guinea, 80 x 13 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection, ex-collection Dr Gregory Roberts, acquired during the 1960s.
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A Sepik ancestor sculpture, of wood in large female form decorated with polychrome pigments, remnant resin, Papua New Guinea, 170 x 37 cm. Provenance: from an Australian collection
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An Early Kwoma Architectural Element, c. early 20th Century, of museum significance, the wood section sculpted in with classic ancestor motifs in relief, weathered with old encrustations, mounted,Papua New Guinea, 232 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A fine ethnographic Abelam ceremonial mask, of tightly woven openwork cane, the anterior with clay and resin overmold decorated with polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 87 x 50 cm.
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An Ethnographic Sepik ceremonial mask (didagur), the tightly woven cane frame with remnant clay and resin overmould, decorated with polychrome pigments, Papua New Guinea, 100 x 50 cm
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An ethnographic Sepik gable mask, the tightly woven cane frame with remnant clay and resin overmold, decorated with polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 75 x 49 cm.
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A fine Abelam ceremonial yam mask, of tightly woven openwork cane, the anterior earth encrusted and decorated with polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 46 x 18 cm.
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A Fine Abelam Ceremonial Yam Mask, of tightly woven openwork cane, the anterior earth encrusted and decorated with polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 49 x 35 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Fine Abelam Ceremonial Mask (baba), in helmet form, the tightly woven openwork cane earth encrusted and decorated with polychrome pigments, projecting feather tassel at apex,Papua New Guinea, 32 x 30 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A ceremonial Boiken face mask, the tightly woven openwork cane in diminutive form, earth encrusted, decorated with polychrome pigments and feather tassels to outer rim, old rubber strap to rear,Papua New Guinea, 22 x 20 cm.
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A Sepik ceremonial mask, of openwork cane, Papua New Guinea, 79 x 43 cm
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A Sepik ceremonial mask, of openwork cane, Papua New Guinea, 100 x 57 cm
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A Superb Sawos Ceremonial Mask (mwai), of dense hardwood in classic slender narrow form, decorated with clay set shell and pig tusk, polychrome pigments, cane, feather and fibre tassels attached, the apex with bird motif in relief,Papua New Guinea, 70 x 15 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Fine Ramu Ceremonial Ancestor Mask, of wood sculpted in classic robust form, the rear with bite stick attached, remnant polychrome pigments below smooth patina, weathered, usewear evident, some fragmentation,Papua New Guinea, 51 x 21 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A coastal Ramu river ceremonial mask, of wood, the anterior decorated with thick resin and red pigments, resin set shell eyes, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 46 x 17 cm.
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An Ethnographic Washkuk Ceremonial Mask, of wood in diminutive form, the convex visage with pierced eyes and mouth, prominent brow above projecting nose with pierced septum, incised with curvilinear motifs, remnant polychromes pigments below old patina,Papua New Guinea, 29 x 13 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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An Old Abelam Yam Mask, of wood, sculpted in diminutive form, the visage with pierced septum decorated with polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 29 x 13 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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Three lower Sepik Amulet masks, of wood in diminutive form,Papua New Guinea, 20-24 cm (3).
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A Coastal Ramu River Ceremonial Mask, of wood, the anterior decorated with polychrome pigments, old encrustations, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 52 x 16 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A fine Boiken dance mask, of wood in ovoid form with projecting terminals, the visage with bulbous forehead above a projecting curved nose tapering to a fine point, pierced eyes, mouth and outer rim, the rear with surface encrustations, the anterior decorated with polychrome pigments and old enamel paint below smooth surface patina, Sepik Plains,Papua New Guinea, 45 cm.
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A fine Washkuk yam fertility sculpture (mindja), of wood in slender ovoid form, the anterior decorated with polychrome pigments, the visage with prominent brow and projecting spike nose, pierced eyes, mouth and apex above an undulating openwork medial ridge, the rear with yam motif in relief, weathered, Papua New Guinea, 151 x 50 cm.
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A fine Marind Anim drum, of wood in classic hour-glass form with large projecting grip, decorated with geometric motifs in relief and polychrome pigments, old resin repair, Papua New Guinea, 120 x 32 cm.
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A Fine Kwoma Yenama Cult Sculpture (tongwinjambe), of wood in classic abstract openwork form, decorated with applied resin tar and polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 94 x 20 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection, ex-collection Paulian Society
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An Early Papuan Gulf Ancestor Board (gope), of wood in ovoid slender form, the anterior decorated with an ancestor figure in relief, polychrome pigments, pierced apex, Kerewa,Papua New Guinea, 98 x 22 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection, ex-collection N. Edgeworth, Stanmore, Middlesex, England
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An Ethnographic Sepik Hook, of wood, the anterior sculpted in classic ancestor form, decorated with resin set shell eye, incised curvilinear motifs and applied polychrome pigments, the rear with projecting pierced lug at apex with old cane attachment,Papua New Guinea, 70 x 23 cm. Provenance: Ex-collection Robert Worsley, Sydney
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A Papuan Gulf Ancestor Board (gope), of wood in ovoid form with projecting apex, the anterior decorated with figurative motifs in relief and polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 128 x 30 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Papuan Gulf Ancestor Board (gope), of wood, the anterior decorated with figurative motifs and polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 85 x 21 cm
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An April River Spirit House Board, of wood with projecting apex, the anterior decorated with figurative motifs in relief and polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 72 x 25 cm
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A monumental ancestor hook, of wood in open work male form, inset shell eyes, fibre tassels, remnant pigments, Papua New Guinea, 143 x 48 cm. Provenance: from an Australian collection
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A Fine Manum Island Steering Paddle, of wood in large robust form, the ovoid leaf blade incised with classic curvilinear motifs to the anterior below a tapering shaft sculpted with a figurative terminal, old encrustations, weathered,Papua New Guinea, 218 x 20 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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An ethnographic Sissano Lagoon paddle, of wood, the blade in slender leaf form decorated with marine motifs and polychrome paints, above a tapering shaft with a sectioned terminal,Papua New Guinea, 148 x 19 cm.
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An Old Sepik Walking Stick, of wood sculpted with multiple ancestor heads in relief, remnant resin set glass beads, smooth glossy patina, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 98 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Middle Sepik Ancestor Sculpture, of wood in diminutive female form, remnant polychrome pigments and old resin repair,Papua New Guinea, 22 x 7 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Murik Lakes Ancestor Sculpture, of wood in diminutive form, old red pigment covering, earth encrustations,Papua New Guinea, 25 x 8 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Arapesh Ancestor Sculpture, of dense wood, the visage with resin set shell eyes, smooth patina, old encrustations,Papua New Guinea, 24 x 14 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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Two Lake Sentani Canoe Prow Ornaments, of wood, sculpted in figurative form decorated with polychrome pigments, Irian Jaya, 37-43 cm (2)
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A Fine Shell Wealth Ornament (yua), the clam shell section with woven nylon ornament attached,Papua New Guinea, 22 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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Two Highlands pearl shell body ornaments (kina), in classic crescent form, pierced terminals, one with threaded seed shell necklace attached, smooth patina, Papua New Guinea, 17 cm and -19 cm (2)
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An upper Mendi ceremonial pig Killing Apron, the woven fibre cloth, earth encrusted, decorated with polychrome pigments, cane and fur tassels,Papua New Guinea, 63 x 36 cm.
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Three Sawos pearl shell body ornaments, in classic crescent form, pierced and decorated with woven fibre and shell, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 19-20 cm (3).
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An Korogo village initiation ornament, the shell disc embroidered woven fibre belt, old patina, Papua New Guinea .
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A Superb Western Highland Wealth Ornament (moka kina), the resin board set with pearl shell, bamboo, boar tusk and fur to the anterior, pierced at apex with woven cane band attached, red pigment cover,Papua New Guinea, 56 x 50 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Superb Abelam Headdress, c.mid 20th Century, of wood with openwork apex decorated with polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 87 x 46 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection, ex-collection Michael Hamson, California, Usa
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Two Highlands body ornaments, of woven fibre, one embroided with glass beads the other with shell, decorated with polychrome pigments, Papua New Guinea, 25-28 cm (2). Provenance: from an Australian collection
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Two Fine Abelam Body Ornaments (karahut), of shell embroided woven fibre with boar tusk ornaments, earth encrusted, decorated with polychrome pigments,Papua New Guinea, 30-36 cm (2). Provenance: From an Australian collection
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Two Ethnographic Highlands Body Ornaments (karahut), the pig tusk ornaments with woven fibre attached, one embroided with seed, polychrome pigments and feather tassels, remnant resin, one tusk fragmented,Papua New Guinea, 11-19 cm (2). Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A fine Goroka chest ornament, the woven fibre and cane frame with multiple cowrie shell ornaments attached,Papua New Guinea, 86 x 11 cm.
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An Highlands Bridal headdress, the openwork shell embroided woven fibre ornament with shell and seed bead tassels, Papua New Guinea, 23 x 20 cm
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Two Ethnographic Body Ornaments, of shell embroided woven fibre and fur, one with plastic string repair,Papua New Guinea, 50-84 cm (2). Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A fine Goroka chest ornament, the woven fibre and cane frame with multiple cowrie shell ornaments, Papua New Guinea, 100 x 11 cm.
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Two Sepik bone Daggers, the anterior decorated in incised motifs, tapering to a pointed terminal, smooth glossy patina,Papua New Guinea, 30-39 cm (2).
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Two bone Daggers, the shafts tapering to a fine point, one incised with ancestor motif, the other bound with woven fibre and decorated with seed and feather tassels, Papua New Guinea, 37- 39 cm
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Two Ethnographic Highland Body Ornaments, of fibre threaded orchid stem, dog tooth and shell discs,Papua New Guinea, 21-72 cm (2)
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Four Ethnographic Kirikiri Body Ornaments, of shell embroided woven fibre,Papua New Guinea, 40-60 cm (4)
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An early Yangoru ceremonial ornament, of woven cane decorated with polychrome pigment and feather tassels, Papua New Guinea, 22 x 28 cm
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A collection of trade beads, of polychrome glass threaded on a fibre string, Papua New Guinea, 260 cm
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A Fine Huon Gulf Bowl, of wood in classic ovoid form, the exterior decorated with figurative motifs in relief, polychrome pigments beneath smooth glossy patina,Papua New Guinea, 45 x 13 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A rare Neolithic Highlands ritual bowl, the stone vessel with remnant red pigment to the interior, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 18 x 11 cm. Note: these ancient artefacts have been archeologically dated in association with stratigraphic sequences spanning 3,000-6000 years B.P.
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An ethnographic Wosera ceramic bowl, the baked clay vessel decorated with curvilinear, stippled motifs and three ancestor faces in relief to the exterior, remnant polychrome pigments, minor fragmentation to rim,Papua New Guinea, 20 x 18 cm.
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A rare neolithic Highlands ritual bowl, the stone vessel with remnant red pigment to the interior, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 18 x 9 cm. Note: these ancient artefacts have been archeologically dated in association with stratigraphic sequences spanning 3,000-6000 years B.P.
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An Ethnographic Eastern Highlands Bowl, of wood, the robust vessel with projecting grip to base, old encrustations, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 62 x 47 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Fine Boiken Bowl, of wood, the anterior decorated with geometric motifs and raised lug terminal, smooth glossy patina, usewear evident,Papua New Guinea, 32 x 7 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A fine Bougainville bow and three Arrows, the bow of palm wood bound with split polychrome orchid stem, the arrows of composite form, the hard wood tips with fibre and resin bound bone bards and polychrome orchid stem binding above bamboo shafts, Solomon Islands, 140-150 cm (4). Provenance: Ex-collection Robert Worsley, Sydney
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A Bougainville bow and three Arrows, the palm wood bow bound with split polychrome orchid stem weave, the hard wood arrows with polychrome pigments, the shafts woven with split orchid stem, Solomon Islands, 190-175 cm (3). Provenance: from an Australian collection
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A Collection Of Six Sepik Fishing Arrows, the bamboo shafts below fibre and cane bound composite wooden barb points,Papua New Guinea, 117-147 cm (6). Provenance: Ex-collection Robert Worsley, Sydney
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A collection of six highland arrows, in classic composite form, the bamboo shafts above barbed hardwood points,Papua New Guinea, 110-127 cm (6).
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A collection of six highland arrows, in classic composite form, the hardwood points above bamboo shafts, one tipped with Cassowary claw,Papua New Guinea, 115-124 cm (6).
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A collection of six highland Arrows, in classic composite form, the hardwood points above bamboo shafts, one tipped with Cassowary claw, Papua New Guinea, 103-130 cm (6). Provenance: Ex-collection Robert Worsley, Sydney
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A Collection Of Five Highland Arrows, in classic composite form, four with slender leaf shaped points above bamboo shafts,Papua New Guinea, 88-123 cm (5). Provenance: Ex-collection Robert Worsley, Sydney
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Two Sepik Taro trays, of woven cane, Papua New Guinea, 27-70 cm (2)
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A Rare Witu Island Ceremonial Mask, of wood, sculpted in helmet form, the opposing faces with pierced eyes and septums, threaded seed glass and wood tassels attached, flanked with stylised openwork ears, below a domed apex inscribed with text, decorated with polychrome pigments, usewear evident, West New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago, 71 x 25 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection and acquired in the field in the 1980s
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A rare Solomon Island architectural ornament, the sectioned wood roof support sculpted in the form of a seated bearded male holding a mortar and pestle, 87 x 20 cm.
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A Fine Ethnographic Battle Club, of wood, the robust circular section shaft notched with old fibre string attached at grip below a classic beaked apex, smooth glossy patina, New Caledonia, 64 x 32 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Rare New Hebrides Battle Club, c.early 20th Century, of wood, the tapering circular sectioned shaft with notched terminal at grip below a projecting apex, Vanuatu, 77 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Fine Ethnographic Solomon Island Paddle Club, of wood in classic facetted section with raised medial ridge, the shaft with resin set shell inlay below a triangular apex, old encrustations below smooth patina, 127 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Superb Malaita Island Battle Club (alofolo), c.early 20th Century, of wood, decorated with incised geometric motifs and stylised ancestor visage at apex, smooth glossy patina, 113 x 6 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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An Early Fijian Battle Club, c. early 20th Century, of wood, the slender shaft below a bulbous terminal, smooth glossy patina, 60 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection
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A Totoyo Island Neckrest, of wood in minimalist form, smooth finish, base rejoined, Fiji, 40 x 12 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection, collected in Fiji during the 1970s by an ex-patriot American retired academic
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A late Ethnographic Massim canoe Splashboard, of wood sculpted in classic asymmetrical form, the anterior decorated with curvilinear motifs and ancestor at apex, remnant polychrome pigments, Trobriand Islands, 75 x 70 cm.
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A Superb Massim Sculpture, of wood in the form of a female ancestor, decorated with incised geometric motifs infilled with lime, smooth glossy patina, Trobriand Islands, 56 x 14 cm. Provenance: From an Australian collection Note: Figurative sculpture from this region is rare, for a similar example c.f. Beran, H.1996, Mutuaga; A 19th century New Guinea Master Carver, University of Wollongong Press, Nsw, Australia, p.225 plate 77
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Two Massim Lime Spatulas, of wood, sculpted in classic slender openwork form, decorated with incised motifs, remnant pigment infill, usewear evident, Trobriand Islands, 37-41 cm, (2). Provenance: From an Australian collection
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Two Massim Lime Spatulas, of wood, sculpted in classic slender form, decorated with incised motifs, remnant pigment infill, usewear evident, Trobriand Islands, 25-31 cm, (2). Provenance: From an Australian collection
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Three Massim Lime Spatulas, of wood in diminutive form, Trobriand Islands, 17-20 cm (3)
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