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Ethnographic Art & Artefacts — Cordy's

Auction House:Cordy'sNumber of lots recorded:159
Sale Title:Ethnographic Art & ArtefactsLots with images:148
Auction Location:AucklandPrices available:129
Date:13-Feb-2023
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An old Maori pounamu kapeu ear pendant, pale green kawakawa variety stone, short hockey stick shape with slightly swollen top pierced with an abraded hole, length 7.5 cm.
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An old Maori ketu (digging implement), with elongated oval blade, curved shaft and long bulbous handle, length 60 cm.
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A Maori pre-European stone toki (adze), tapered and polished, length 11.7 cm
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A pounamu hei tiki, kawakawa variety stone, with paua ring eyes, head tilted, chin to left shoulder, tongue extended, flexed stance with hands to thighs. Concealed suspension holes to back, height 8.5 cm.
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An unusual bone hei tiki, with lower abdomen and legs carved to display a secondary head, the main head with paua inset pupils, arms asymmetrically positioned with one hand raised to mouth and the other to chest. Double suspension hole to back of head, height 9 cm
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A pounamu toki pendant, pierced with hourglass suspension hole and chevron lines at the poll, bevelled cutting edge and channeled to the back. 10 x 4.4 cm.
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A Maori pre-European stone toki (adze), tapered, the back and sides heavily flaked, polished top, length 14.5 cm.
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Two Maori pre-European stone toki (adze), tapered form, semi polished. L's.110 & 8.8 cm. Vendor's provenance: both from Ruapekapeka'.
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A Maori pre-European stone toki (adze), short, tapered form, with chip, length 8 cm. Vendor's provenance: 'From Mania'.
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A large Maori pre-European toki (adze) together with a wooden haft, the stone tapered toki broken and glued, length 27.5 cm. The carved wooden curved shaft haft with lashing groove to the broad head, length 80.5 cm. Vendor's provenance: 'Was gifted by local Maori in the area of Marsden cross'.
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A Maori pre-European wooden patu aruhe (fern root beater), with long bulbous head and tapered handle, length 30.5 cm
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A Maori pre-European patu aruhe (fern root pounder), of large size, traditional form, length 35 cm.
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An old concrete Maori totem guardian, painted red at later date, some chipping to base, height 40 cm.
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A Temuka Potteries tobacco humidor or biscuit barrel, the lid surmounted by a bust of Hori Ngakapa Te Whanaunga, chief of ngati Whanaunga, designed by factory manager Arthur Rowden Toplis, c.1935, relief decorated with Maori designs, caramel glazed, height 27 cm. Cf. Lot 112 in this auction. Two small rim chips.
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A bronze bust of Hori Ngakapa te Whanaunga, chief of ngati Whanaunga, raised on rectangular plinth base, height 16 cm. Cf. Lot 111 in this auction.
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A pair of old handcrafted Maori mother and child dolls, painted composition heads, flax puipui, woollen and cotton cloak and dress, height 22 cm
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Four vintage Maori lead figures, hand painted, fine detail, height 4.5 cm approx.
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Four vintage Maori lead figures, hand painted, fine detail, height 4.5 cm approx.
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A pair of c.1960-70 Rarotongan tivaevae pillow covers finely needle worked in colours, each with a vase and native flowers, lace fringe. 85 x 54 cm
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A cook Islands Tongaroa, the full body figure with distinctive heavy-set features, in a squatting stance with flexed legs and hands resting on his rounded stomach. Good weathered patina. Provenance: Private Collection, height 105 cm.
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An early Pacific Island stone adze, length 22.2 cm
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Fijian fine circular tapa cloth, one quarter panelled with turtles, diameter 98 cm
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Old Fijian tabua whale's tooth pendant, with plaited Sennett cord necklace. Tooth, length 14 cm.
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Old whale's tooth, length 13 cm
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An old Fijian tabua whales tooth pendant, with old string cord, length 15 cm.
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A Tongan tanoa (kava bowl), light colouration with attached sennit cord terminating in a shell, diameter 41 cm, height 16.5 cm.
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A late 19th / early 20th century Tongan kali hahapo (neck rest), of dark tropical hardwood and uncommon double curved bar form and block form feet, length 41 cm.
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Vanuatu guardian figure head with shell inset eyes, Prov.: Dennis Dutton, height 27 cm Provenance: collection of Denis, length Dutton (1944 - 2010), then John F. Perry (1943-2021), thence to our vendor/collector who has exhibited this piece at the little dog gallery, Devonport, c.2015.
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A pre-European Honolulu Hawaii stone hog-back adze semi-polished blade, broad fleck chipped body, old label attached detailed 'Fd. In Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1870 by Inspector of works and given to David bell by Alex. Young of Honolulu, and in 1933 Exhibited by Miss Napier Bell...', length 22.5 cm. Provenance: Ex. The Miet collection, Wellington, then private Estate collection.
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A New Guinean carved wooden head, three quarter life size, reputedly a talking piece equivalent to an orator's talking stick, as an object of aboriginal democracy, the head a representation of an ancestor, was held to indicate the turn to speak. Stained, with white pigment decoration and cowrie shells inset to the eyes, height 18 cm. Provenance: collection of Denis, length Dutton (1944 - 2010), then John F. Perry (1943-2021), thence to our vendor/collector who has exhibited this piece at the little dog…
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Papua New Guinea Sepik kina shell breast plate, on wooden carved and stained frame. Reputedly authentic and tribally used. Provenance: Purchased from Cordys, length 43.5 cm. Vendor's provenance: it came from the saving of the objects of village to be dammed.
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Papua New Guinea Sepik kina shell breast plate, reputedly authentic and a tribally used. Provenance: Purchased from Cordys. W.24 cm. Vendor's provenance: it came from the saving of the objects of village to be dammed.
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A vintage Papua New Guinea ancestral double mask carving, from the New Guinea highlands, with red ochre highlights to the black staining. Such examples represent the stories of their ancestors, length 54.5 cm.
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Papua New Guinea old carved wood ceremonial dance wand, with stylised mask head, black stained with dark red highlights. As used in the yam harvest Ceremonies, length 71 cm.
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Papua New Guinea old carved wood Mwei male ancestor mask, stylised, with pigmented brushed and cowrie shell highlights. Korogo village - Iatmul people, middle Sepik, length 50 cm.
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Papua New Guinea ornate carved wood large mask, Highlands Sepik River area, highlighted with coloured pigments and with fibre beard type fringe, height 74 cm.
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Papua New Guinea old carved wood suspension hook, the male mask to the top with pale pigmented highlights. Latmul culture, Suapmeri village, middle Sepik River area. Representing manhood and succession of the hunt, height 42 cm.
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Papua New Guinea old carved wood suspension hook, Latmul culture, Suapmeri village, middle Sepik River area, height 34 cm.
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New Ireland carved lintel, mid 20th century, the cut-away front standing proud with ancestral mask flanked by two pairs of sea birds representing the onward moving of the spirits. Entirely painted with red, black and white pigments in predominantly geometric design, length 133 cm.
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Old Papua New Guinea dogs tooth headband, double row of teeth, drilled and lashed to the woven band, length 45 cm
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Three large old palmwood tribal bows, plaited fibre lashings. Longest 167 cm
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Papua New Guinea carved & painted shield with birds & figure, decorated with ochre pigments, height 106 cm. With small break.
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Papua New Guinea Mt Hagen wooden & plaited hafted axe, with stone blade, length 60 cm
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An old Papua New Guinea Sepik carved wood canoe prow, tapered double mask form with hooked detail, length 74 cm.
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A large Sepik house mask, possibly a gable ornament for meeting house. Provenance: Private Collection. 51 x 104 cm.
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A Papua New Guinea carved bone container, decorative band down the front, with the stopper in the form of a seated figure, wood base and top. Provenance: Private Collection, height 24 cm.
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Two Solomon Islands wood carvings, one a model canoe of black stained wood inlaid with pearl shell, some distress. Along with a small offering stand flanked by stylised carved and fretwork animals, in dark stained wood and with shell inlay. Canoe, length 49.5 cm
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#Solomon Islands shell money from the Governor general multi strand, length 4metres (approx.). Gifted to Sir Keith Holyoake from the Honourable Sir Baddeley Devesi 'June and I and the rest of the family wish to sincerely thank you for all the support you have extended to US over the years while we were in the Solomons...' unfortunately this letter has now been misplaced.
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A Solomon Islands carved coral head, conforming to the original material shape, with almond eyes, height 17.5 cm. Provenance: collection of Denis, length Dutton (1944 - 2010), then John F. Perry (1943-2021), thence to our vendor/collector who has exhibited this piece at the little dog gallery, Devonport, c.2015.
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Solomon Islands large spear, multi barbed feathered head with mother of pearl inlay, length 195 cm
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#Two old Solomon Island clubs, with white inlay. Longest 87 cm.
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An old African Kongo nkisi (fetish), modelled as a Janus headed dog, the torso studded with steel blades surrounding a section to its back filled with fetish material and wrapped with cane. Some small borer holes, length 37 cm. Provenance: collection of John F. Perry (1943-2021), thence to our vendor/collector who has exhibited this piece at the little dog gallery, Devonport, c.2015.
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African Benin large bronze mask, finely cast from the lost-wax process. An ornate example with surmounting full relief figure flanked by horns. Note: Benin Art is noted for its influence on 20th century surrealistic Art.
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An old African carved wood Suku female fertility figure, with animal fur and feather arms and fibre fringe. Remains of all over pigmented finish, height 63 cm.
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African figural carved stool, open cylindrical form with double stylised figures, height 60 cm.
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African figural carved stool, open cylindrical form with double stylised figures, height 60 cm.
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An African carved wood standing male figure, Fang, Gabon, with helmet coiffure. H41 cm
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An African Yoruba Epa mask, carved and painted wood with applied canvas, cowrie shell and bead highlights. Disc form top with yellow star detail. Benin, Nigeria district, height 60 cm.
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A Congolese 'Janus' post, the double head post from the Hemba people. Provenance: Private Collection, height 107 cm.
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