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Maori, Oceanic, African, and Asian Art — Dunbar Sloane Ltd.

Auction House:Dunbar Sloane Ltd.Number of lots recorded:319
Sale Title:Maori, Oceanic, African, and Asian ArtLots with images:317
Auction Location:WellingtonPrices available:264
Date:7-Dec-2021
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Pre-European toki (adze blade), Grey-black argillite, broken and repaired. 21 cm length.
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Stone mahe (sinker), Coase Volcanic stone with central lashing groove, 6 cm diameter
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Patu muka (stone pounder), Argillite stone, reducing to the upper section with pecked and polished finish, 20 cm length
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An ovoid stone net sinker, Porous volcanic stone with cruciform lashing grooves
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A rare Chatham Islands Morori patu Okewa (hand club), Coarse rekohu schist. Probably used historically for ceremonies or the hunting of seals as the Morori embraced a pacifist culture that avoided all forms of warfare, 25 x 13 cm.
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Muku (flax pounder) patu muka (flax pounder), Coarse volcanic stone. Hammer pecked finish, 17 cm length
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Pre-European toki (adze blade), rare hog back (apex up) example in fine grained greywacke, flaked all over except for the polished cutting area, 14.5 cm length
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A superb black Argillite Pre-European toki (adze blade), finely modelled, quadrangular shape, bevel and front section highly polished, the rest pecked. Well defined curved chin above the bevel edge, 19.6 cm length.
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A stone anchor, Dense volcanic stone with naturally occurring hole to the upper section, 22 x 18 cm
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Pounamu toki (nephrite adze), the thin light green-grey pounamu with polished bevel and cutting edge, 15.6 cm length.
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A pounamu chisel, oval cross section pendant shape, concave cutting edge together with a small chisel section found on Wairau bar in the 1960s
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Pounamu chisel, Quadrangular shape, green grey nephrite with yellow inclusions evident in the stone, hour glass suspension hole to enable suspension as a pendant, found at Te Umupakaroa at the north end of Kapiti Island.
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Small pounamu chisel, dark green nephrite, found at Te Umupakaroa at the northern end of Kapiti Island, 3.7 cm length
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Pre- European pounamu toki (nephrite adze), Kawakawa variety pounamu with lapidary scarf to one side. Deep groove to the center suggesting that the piece was intended be made into two pendants, 9 cm length.
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Rare white stone toki (adze blade), Quadrangular shape, smooth surface with blunt curved cutting edge. Provenance: Chatham Islands. Purchased from Dunbar Sloane in March 1971, 12 cm length.
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Rare white stone toki (adze blade), Quadrangular shape, pecked surface with blunt curved cutting edge. Provenance: Chatham Islands. Purchased from Dunbar Sloane in March 1971, 11.3 cm length.
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Two rare white stone toki (adze blades). Provenance: Chatham Islands. Purchased from Dunbar Sloane in March 1971.
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Two black Argillite toki (adze blades), chips to the blade of one, 13.5 cm and 8.3 cm length.
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Adze tip, Greywacke. Found at a moa hunter camp site, Wairau bar, 7.5 cm length
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A large and impressive Pre-European toki (adze blade), grey argillite, quadrangular shape, finely modelled, polished all over with a few areas were pecking remains, particularly the lashing area, Sold together with a small model made by Robert Lionel Reeve which demonstrates how large toki of this size were used to fell trees. 31 cm length, 11 cm width . 1577
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A superb large Argillite Pre- European toki (adze), rectangular tapering cross section form. Hammer pecked pole section, the remaining surface with smooth polish, giant toki of this size and type are very rare. They were usually associated with important projects such as the felling of large totara or kauri trees or the building of waka (canoes), small chip to the cutting edge otherwise in very good condition. Archaic period 14th - 16th century, 35 cm length 8 cm width.
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A good Hog back Pre-European toki (adze blade), Argillite, quadrangular shape with deep triangulated blade, pecked and polished finish. Together with a later carved kauri stand decorated with wheku heads, toki length 270 mm, stand 36 x 12 cm
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Unusual Pre-European toki and another toki, Corse volcanic stone, quadrangular shape with unusual raised lashing ridges to the pole section. The other argillite toki of quadrangular shape with pecked and polished finish, 16 cm and 13 cm length
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Large collection of adze cutting tips and a moa Gizzard stone, together with other stone flakes and shells
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Stone Drill tip and three Chisels.
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Steel arrow head and a seal tooth, the seal tooth found on the Wairau bar in 1971
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Kuru (ear pendant), gray stone pendant, Pieced for suspension, 5 cm length
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Argillite Awl stone, found on the Wairau bar by Pj Sullivan, 9 cm length
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Large net sinker, Dense heavy volcanic rock with lashing groove to each side, 24 cm length
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Stone mahe (sinker stone), ovoid shape, grey volcanic rock with central lashing groove, 9 cm diameter
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Sinker stones two mahe (sinkers), one of light grey volcanic rock, the other dark volcanic rock, each with lashing grooves across the surface, 10 cm and 8 cm length and
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Worked Obsidian stone two other worked stones used for sharpening toki and a toki.
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Patu muka (flax pounder), Argillite stone with overall pecked finish, 27 cm length
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Patu muka (flax pounder), grey Volcanic stone, pecked all over finish, 27 cm length.
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Stone mahe (sinker), ovoid shape, dark volcanic rock with lashing groove to the center, 11 cm diameter
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Five Pre- European toki, various varieties of stone
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Pre- European toki (stone adze), Argillite, quadrangular shape, small chips to the cutting edge, 16 cm length
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Pre- European toki (stone adze), mottled green/grey stone - possibly serpentine, tapering quadrangular shape, chip to the blade section
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Small pounamu pendant, Kawakawa variety stone, pieced for suspension, 4 cm length
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An unusual stone pendant, tear drop shape, the stone of ecru coloration with countersunk suspension hole, 5.5 cm length.
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Replica bone Chevron pendant and Rei Puta
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Pre-European pounamu toki (adze blade) and scraper, each 7 cm length.
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Mere pounamu (nephrite hand club), mottled Kawakawa variety stone. The elongated blade tapering to the grip section. Pieced for wrist suspension with five graduating cut grooves. Modern 20th century example, 47 cm length
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Pounamu hei-tiki by Alan brown (ngati Ruaka), finely carved 20th century example. Kawakawa variety stone with titled head and with broad shoulders and arms to thighs. Cut and serrated paua shell eyes, pierced to the back of the head for suspension, 12 x 9 cm
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Pounamu hei-tiki, 20th century example. Kawakawa variety stone, modelled with tilted head and with lightly delineated hands placed to the thighs, 11 cm length
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Wakahuia carved by Rangi Redman, elongated oval shape with side profile manaia to each end. The lid and body with extensive rauponga and pikorauru spirals. The handle carved in the form of a marakihau. Carvers initial to the base
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Early 20th century Piupiu (waist Garment), Kaupapa of natural and dyed harakeke (flax) and with broad waist band
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Paoka (ceremonial feeding fork), with four short tines. The handle carved with three conjoined wheku heads and pakati (dog tooth) notching, 24 cm length
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Pa kahawai (Trolling lure), the two piece hook with paua shell to the wooden shank and bone barb with muka lashing, 11 cm length .
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Tiheru (canoe bailer), simple carved wood of minimalist form, the bowl with some chipping, 44 cm length
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Whale bone fishhook and harpoon a whale bone harpoon, with carved wheku head decoration together with a whalebone fishing hook, part of a two piece fish hook, ..
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A bone Awl, Partially drilled hole to the upper section, 15 cm length
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Two Matua (fish hooks), large bone single piece fish hook and a fish hook barb, the large hook with end broken off.
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Bone Awl
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Ten bone fish hook sections
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Bone Awl a bowl Awl, made from the humerus of a bird, 8.1 cm length
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A rare stingray barb bird spear tip
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A large and impressive pounamu kapeu (ear pendant), Kawakawa variety stone with white inclusion in the stone and with counter sunk suspension hole, 17 cm length
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Small bone tattoo chisel, 4.2 cm length
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Ketu (digging implement), with tapering shaft and paddle shaped blade. Used for loosening the soil around Kumara plants. Some small chips to the blade, length 47 cm
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Ketu (digging implement), with tapering shaft and paddle shaped blade. Used for loosening the soil around Kumara plants, length 61 cm
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Ketu (digging implement), with tapering shaft and paddle shaped blade. Used for loosening the soil around Kumara plants, length 54 cm
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A pounamu pendant, Kawakawa variety nephrite with light coloured flecks. With two countersunk suspension holes, 6.5 x 5 cm
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Argillite stone toki, Quadrangular form, 15 cm length ...
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Pou Whakairo (free standing carved figure), the ancestral figure with a wheku head with arms to his sides standing on flexed legs. The body adorned with pakati (dog tooth) notching. Raised on a wooden plinth. Heavily painted red ochre finish. Te Arawa, early 20th century, 90 cm height.
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Pou Whakairo (free standing carved figure), the ancestral figure with a wheku head with arms to his sides standing on flexed legs. The body adorned with pakati (dog tooth) notching. Raised on a wooden plinth. Heavily painted red ochre finish with later painted eyes. Te Arawa, early 20th century, 130 cm height.
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Pou Whakairo (free standing carved figure), the carved figure in a crouched stance with wheku head with cut paua shell eyes and protruding tongue surmounting a carved manaia head. 75 cm height. Early 20th century, raised on black metal stand
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Pou Whakairo (carved Freestanding figure), the standing figure with hands placed to the abdomen and with a wheku head with cut paua disc eyes and open mouth with protruding tongue. Decorated with rauponga and maui spirals, 27 x 12 cm.
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A superb 18th century carved architectural panel, the stone tool carved panel with a wheku head to the lower section with open mouth with protruding tongue and with rauponga carved detailing. The upper section of the panel with a pair of outward facing manaia below a small central wheku head and a side profile manaia. The panel is further carved with an abstract face in side profile and a small inverted face beneath a tapering apex which possibly accommodated a tekoteko figure, 130 x 32 cm
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A rare, finely carved tokotoko (ngati tamateatutahi, ngati pikiao), (ceremonial walking stick), the upper section at the base of the handle with an ancestral figure carved in low relief. The face naturalistically rendered with ta moko. One arm with four fingered hand placed to the abdomen. The other hand holding a patu. The reverse of the stick with a second figure placed lower down the shaft and also rendered in low relief. Carved with a wheku head with protruding tongue and with hands placed to abdomen.…
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Jacob William Heberley (1849-1906) Te Ati AWA Wellington, a finely carved tokotoko (traditionally carved walking stick), with four figures, each surmounting the other. The lower figure with naturalistic face with ta-moko. The two middle figures carved with wheku heads with three fingered hands placed to the abdomen. The top figure with naturally rendered face and with conforming hand positioning, with his three fingered hands placed on his abdomen. His head conjoined with a manaia. The body of the manaia…
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A good rare whalebone tokotoko, the tapering shaft carved with two figures. The upper section figure with a wheku head with protruding tongue and cut paua shell eyes. The arms with pikorauru spirals at the shoulders and hands placed to the abdomen. The arms and legs with further spiral decoration and pakati (dog tooth) notching. The second figure with conforming decoration and holding a patu paraoa. The shaft further decorated with rauponga. The handle carved from an antler and inlaid with paua shell above…
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Wahaika paraoa (whalebone hand club), large early 20th century example with a manaia figure carved to the in-curve of the blade, the handle pieced for suspension and carved with a manaia head with paua shell eyes, 44 cm length
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A superb ngati tarawhai kumete (food bowl), the deep bowl of circular tapering form carved with large rauru spirals, each with elliptical centers and triple ridges with rauponga carving divided by interlacing triple ridge designs with further rauponga detailing. The handle carved in high relief with an ancestral figure with wheku face with inset paua shell eyes and with a further wheku head issuing from the bowl ridge, 24 cm diameter 12 cm depth
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Hoe (paddle), with leaf shaped blade and tapering slender shaft. Chipped to the central section of the blade, 150 cm length
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Taiaha (fighting staff), 20th century example with carved tongue with haehae notching and with inset paua shell eyes, chicken feathers attached to the upper section, 156 cm length
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Carved Maori ancestral figure, with wheku head, depicted in a crouching stance, surmounting an inverted wheku head. Red ochre covering the surface. Broken to the bottom section. Possibly from a tokotoko or model waka, 15 cm length
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A superb 19th century Papahou (treasure box), the highly decorative box extensively carved to the top, base and sides. The sides with interweaving manaia figures with wheku heads. The base similarly carved with complex designs depicting manaia and marakihau, their bodies adorned with rauponga intersected with rauru and whakaionui spirals. The lid sits within a rebated top carved with conforming decoration to the back and sides . Each end pierced for suspension and carved with interlocking inward facing…
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Taiaha (fighting staff), long wooden tapering shaft of classic form. The head (upoko) with circular eyes with one cut paua shell inlaid disc remaining the others absent. The tongue (arero) carved with rauru spirals, 150 cm length
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A good Pre-European pounamu toki (nephrite adze), Flatted tapering quadrangular shape with mottled brown inclusions in the stone, lapidary scarf to one side, 16 cm length
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A large waka huia (treasure box), carved with two large figures each with wheku heads supporting the box in their outstretched arms. The elongated oval box carved with rauponga decoration, 70 cm length
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Putatara (conch shell trumpet), with carved bone mouth piece inlaid with paua shell, 33 cm length
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Pa kahawai (trolling lure), paua shell shank with iron ship's nail hook, 6 cm length
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Toki Poutangata by John Moore (Hafted ceremonial adze blade), made in the traditional style with a pounamu blade. Carved with a figure with wheku head with inset paua eyes, the handle inlaid with paua discs and terminating in a carved wheku head \, 46 cm length
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Unusual hoe (paddle), with leaf shaped blade and long slender shaft with knob form terminal. Small spiral motif carved into the blade. Provenance: found stored in a barn in Papakura, Auckland in 1910. Private collection Waikato, 190 cm length.
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A superb historically important chiefs mere pounamu (short bladed greenstone weapon), beautifully crafted from Kawakawa variety pounamu with large thin spatulate shaped blade with translucent edge. The blade tapers to the reduced grip section with concentric pierced suspension hole terminating in five deeply cut graduating grooves. Early 19th century. Provenance: chief Wi Te Ota. Passed on by descent through chief Wi Te Ota's family from the 19th century, 46 cm length
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A superb historically important chiefs mere pounamu (short bladed greenstone weapon), beautifully crafted from Kawakawa variety pounamu. Conforming in form to the previous lot. With large thin spatulate shaped blade with translucent edge and grey translucent striation though the nephrite . The blade tapers to the reduced grip section with concentric pierced suspension hole terminating in eight deeply cut graduating grooves. Early 19th century. Provenance: chief Wi Te Ota. Passed on by descent through chief…
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A superb historically important chiefs mere pounamu (short bladed greenstone weapon), beautifully crafted from Kawakawa variety pounamu. Conforming in form to the previous lot but of smaller size. With short thin spatulate shaped blade with translucent edge and grey translucent striation though the nephrite matching the previous lot indicating that it was made from the same stone. The blade tapers to the reduced grip section with concentric pierced suspension hole terminating in nine deeply cut graduating…
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A fine Wakahuia (treasure box), classical ovoid orthodox form. Each end carved with ancestral figures with projecting wheku heads. The body of the box carved with longitudinal lines of rauponga with pakati, (dog tooth) notching. The lid with similar rauponga carving with reducing pakati (dog tooth) notching. The longitudinal bands intersected by a cross section band of rauponga carving. The box rim and lid with extended takarangi spirals, 50 cm length. Provenance: Private Collection; purchased by the…
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A finely carved ngati tarawhai waka huia (treasure box) by Tene Waitere, elongated oval shape flanked by stylized human figures, each with three fingered hands placed to the abdomen decorated with fine rauponga (notched ridges and parallel grooves) each side centered by a carved wheku head with paua disc eyes flanked by manaia decorated with rauponga and with further rauponga decoration to the underside of the box. The lid with ancestral figures carved in high relief, each with a wheku head on a ground of…
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Lyonel Grant (ngati Pikiao Te Arawa), a large and impressive hoe (paddle), the upper section carved with a figure of Papatuanuku conjoined with another figure with Ranginui, the sky father carved at the top of the handle. The blade with a figure of Tane above a marakihau. All inset with paua shell eyes. Made in the late 1970s, Lyonel Grant has exhibited nationally and internationally. His work is held in many Galleries and public institutions including the British Museum and the Museum of New Zealand: Te…
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Large Paepae (Threshold board), carved in a continuous band with wheku heads, manaia and mirahiaku. Traces of red ochre finish. Circa 1920, 3.2 metres length
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Neke Kapua (attributed) ngati tarawhai carved Maori pipe, beautifully rendered with three wheku heads and rauponga detailing, a similar pipe carved by Neke Kapua sold by Dunbar Sloane in April 2009, 15 cm length
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Pou Whakairo (free standing carved figure), the ancestral figure with wheku head with paua disc eyes and protruding tongue, arms placed to the sides with three fingered hands placed to the abdomen. Standing in a flexed stance raised on a plinth base. Red ochre painted finish. 57 cm height
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Pounamu pekapeka (nephrite pendant), finely carved from Kawakawa variety pounamu, with cut circular eyes and asymmetrical countersunk suspension hole, pekapeka are named after the small native New Zealand bat which they are said to resemble in appearance. The pekapeka form fuses together two opposing manaia (stylised beaked figures) heads into a single form. The form is rare relative to other pounamu pendants such as hei-tiki. This is a particularly fine example and probably dates to the early 19th or 18th…
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Sydney Parkinson, Tete Dun Guerrier de la Nouvelle Zelande, portrait of a Maori from the French edition of the accounts of Cooks first voyage. Together with Coffre Sculpte des Habitans de la Nouvelle Zelande - Depiction of a Papahou (treasure box), 18th century copper engravings, 26 x 21 cm, 25 x 20 cm
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Tewhatewha (long handled fighting staff), the slender tapering shaft with four bands of fine rauponga carving and pataki(dog tooth notching) . The back of the flanged blade unusually carved with a wheku head. The blade pieced with attached feathers, small chip to the blade rim, 115 cm length. Provenance: Private Collection; purchased by the current owner in Paris in 1974 in the Arts Primitifs auction at Hotel Drouot.
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A fine kiwi feather kete (kiwi feather bag), in superb original condition with woven muka twining. Provenance: private American owner Recently repatriated to New Zealand
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Kete Whakairo (patterned flax basket), decorated in the...pattern. Provenance: Private Collection America. Recently repatriated to New Zealand, 25 x 38 cm
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Bone matau (fish hook), the one piece fish hook with long shank and barbed point, small incised scroll design to the base of the shank. Found on the banks of the Avon river in Christchurch in the 1950s, 10 cm length.
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