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Maori, Oceanic & African Art — Dunbar Sloane Ltd.

Auction House:Dunbar Sloane Ltd.Number of lots recorded:166
Sale Title:Maori, Oceanic & African ArtLots with images:166
Auction Location:WellingtonPrices available:138
Date:8-Oct-2024
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A small 19th century whao (Maori chisel). Carved in Kawakawa variety stone. Length 8.5 cm.
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A Pre-European toki (argillite). Tapering quadrangular form with well defined lateral edges and bevel with sharp cutting edge. Smooth surface with minor hammer pecks and flakes. Length 20 cm.
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A Pre-European toki. Tapering quadrangular form carved in pale brown stone. Polished throughout with sharply defined lateral edges, smooth bevel and sharp cutting edge. Minor fritting to the blade and small darkened flake to the face. Found in a house in Papatoetoe in the 1950s. Length 16 cm.
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A patu aruhe (wooden pounder). Found at Kaipara harbour 1948 length 23.3 cm.
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An 18th century mahe (stone sinker). Coarse volcanic stone with lashing grooves. Old paper sticker affixed '11/4/03' Blackhead. Length 10 cm
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A Pre-European toki (argillite). Found in Kaipara harbour in 1948. Significant losses to the face. Length 14 cm. 22680
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A Pre-European toki pounamu (blade end only). Inanga variety stone, minor frits to the blade. Found in the 1940s. Length 6 cm.
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A Pre-European toki pounamu. Carved in kawakawa variety stone. Smooth polished surface and bevel with natural scarring to the face, underside, and right poll edge. Frits to cutting edge. Length 8 cm.
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A small pre-European toki. Found in Kaipara harbour. Length 5 cm.
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A Pre-European toki (argillite). Found in Papatoetoe in the 1960s. Length 8 cm.
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Ten assorted Maori stone artefacts. 3 x grinding stones, 1 x pecking stone, 4 x roughouts, 1 x toki, 1 x flake. Found in Opito coromandel in the 1940s.
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A Pre-European toki (basalt). Traditional tapering quadrangular form with clearly defined edges and bevel. Chips and flakes to the face and cutting edge. Found at Hunua range in the 1960s. Length 24 cm.
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Two bone cloak pins (Aurei). One with some staining to surface. Length 13.5 cm, 8.5 cm.
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Worked pounamu. Kawakawa variety stone. Scarf markings along the edges. Found in a shop in the 1940s. Length 10 cm.
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A 19th century kuru pendant. Carve in Kawakawa variety stone with pale inclusions and natural scarring to the surface. Partially drilled suspension hole. Height 7 cm.
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A large mahe (stone sinker). With central lashing grooves. Found at Kawakawa bay 1940s. Length 10 cm.
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Old wooden pipe with Maori folk carved bowl. Silver ferrule and amber mouthpiece, tip broken away. Length 12 cm.
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A 19th century kapeu (ear pendant). Finely carved in Kawakawa variety stone with dark inclusions throughout the shaft and small pale inclusion at the apex. Traditional stone tooled suspension hole. Provenance: found at Kaipara harbour in the 1950s height 12 cm.
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A carved whalebone matau shaped pendant. Two countersunk suspension holes. Height 17 cm
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A patu muka (fern root pounder) hammer dressed volcanic stone with circular cross-section tapering to the handle base. Length 31 cm.
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Large Pre-European toki (argillite). Tapering rectangular form with hammer dressed tang and small amount of flaking to the poll. Lateral edges and bevel well defined with sharp cutting edge. Highly polished throughout. Small chip to the blade. Length 31.5 cm.
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A large Pre-European toki (argillite). Thick heavy tapering rectangular form with flaked and hammer dressed poll section. Well defined lateral edges and smooth face and bevel with sharp cutting edge. Some flaking to the face and underside. Length 34 cm.
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A large Pre-European toki (argillite) heavy thick tapering rectangular form with hammer dressed tang and square poll. Smooth face and hammer dressed underside with clearly defined bevel, minor flakes to the blade. Length 32 cm.
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A large Pre-European toki (argillite). Thick rectangular form tapering through the blade and poll sections. Incipient tang with rounded poll and double-sided bevel. Minor hammer dressing with smooth polished surface throughout. Length 33 cm.
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A Pre-European toki (argillite) long narrow tapering quadrangular form with curved surfaces and three lashing grooves to haft section. Rounded asymmetric poll and blade. Hammer dressed surface throughout. Length 32 cm.
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A good large Pre-European toki pounamu. Carved in superb blue green inanga variety stone with feathery dark and pale inclusions. Tapering rectangular form with well-defined lateral edges, a short bevel and sharp cutting edge. Scarf mark to the lower left side and small natural scarring to the right side. Flawless smooth polished surface throughout
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A Pre-European toki pounamu. Carved in inanga variety stone. Polished surface. Length 12 cm.
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A Pre-European toki (argillite). Tapering quadrangular form with flaked and hammer dressed poll section. Well defined edges and bevel with sharp cutting edge. Smooth and polished throughout. 16.5 cm.
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Two Pre-European toki (argillite). Flaked and hammer dressed. Length 15 cm, 11 cm.
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A Pre-European toki (argillite). Tapering rectangular form. Rounded poll and sharp cutting edge. Small chip to the blade. Length 12 cm.
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A Pre-European toki (argillite). Thick tapering quadrangular form with well-defined lateral edges and bevel with sharp cutting edge. Smooth and polished surface throughout. Some flaking and old losses to haft section and poll. Length 17.5 cm.
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A patu muka (fern root pounder). Circular cross-section with reducing grip to handle base. Old losses to butt end and lower impact section. Length 21 cm.
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A good 18th century hei tiki. A good example of a type I form carved in bright kawakawa variety stone with pale chatoyant and dark inclusions. The head is tilted to the left with facial features displaying widely recessed eye rings, a nasal ridge that extends to the top of the head and a heart shaped mouth with tongue and teeth. The body is thick and muscular with well defined shoulders and elbows. Features are worn from use and age but still evident. Two concealed stone drilled suspension holes to the…
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An 18th century hei tiki. A classic type I form carved in kawakawa variety stone with subtle pale and dark inclusions. Facial features display wide double ringed eye recesses, a nasal bridge with clearly defined nostrils and a heart shaped mouth with tongue and teeth. Ribs carved to the torso and elbow points are clearly defined. Intact concealed stone drilled suspension hole to the back of the head. Small scarf mark evident to the left side of the head and body. Height 10 cm.
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An early 19th century hei tiki carved in superb translucent Blue/Green Tangiwai (Bowenite). A type II form with left hand to chest. Facial features and fingers and toes are clearly defined, red sealing wax embellishment applied to the eye rings. Countersunk suspension hole to the top of the head. Height 9 cm.
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A superb 18th century hei tiki. One of the smallest but most delicate and beautiful of the hei tiki offered in this catalogue. This type I form carved from kawakawa variety stone with pale chatoyant inclusions to the forehead and verso displays finely carved features, worn from significant age and use but clearly evident. Female sex is indicated. Three stoned drilled suspension holes, two intact and concealed through the back of the head, one earlier broken out. Height 6.5 cm.
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A large 19th century hei tiki. A type II form with left hand to chest carved in Tangiwai variety stone (Bowenite), the stone is cloudy with dark inclusions. The face displays double ringed eyes, nasal bridge, and mouth with protruding tongue. The four fingered hands are clearly visible. Verso is flat and even. Lower legs broken and repaired. Height 11 cm.
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An early 18th century hei tiki. Type I form carved in opaque inanga variety stone. The head tilted to the left displays widely recessed eye rings and sharply rendered nasal bridge and mouth with tongue and three teeth. Countersunk suspension hole to the top of the head. Height 10 cm.
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A 19th century pa kahawai (trolling lure). Wood and paua shell shank, and bone hook with muka lashing. Height 9 cm
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A good early 19th century patu paraoa (whalebone hand club). Thick and heavy classic spatulate shape reducing to the grip section, the butt terminating in six graduating grooves with a countersunk suspension hole. Smooth heavily grained surface. Height 38 cm.
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A 19th century patu paraoa (whalebone hand club). Spatulate shape reducing to the grip section terminating in eight graduating grooves with rounded butt. Pierced for suspension. Heavily grained surface with some fritting to the blade. Height 34 cm.
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A large impressive 18th century mere pounamu large heavy spatulate shape with smooth curved surface tapering to a translucent cutting edge. Blade reducing to an oval cross-sectioned grip with a shouldered butt. Carved in deep green kawakawa variety stone with dark feathery inclusions. Countersunk suspension hole. Some light natural scarring to one side of the blade. Height 41.5 cm.
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A good 19th century Maori carved toki kakauroa (long handled axe). The shaft carved with two weku masks with red sealing wax applied to the eyes. Triple haehae and pakati decoration. The trade axe head stamped 'Mortimer'. Height 130 cm.
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A 19th century Maori carved toki kakauroa (long handled axe). Carved with eight wheku figures to the shaft terminating in a rauponga carved tongue. Paua shell inlay. Iron trade axe head. Height 103 cm.
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A good 19th century pouwhenua (long handled fighting staff). Slender tapering shaft with finely carved double sided wheku head inlaid with paua shell (one missing. Rich dark patina. Height 152 cm.
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A 19th century tewhatewha (long handled club) long slender carved wood tapering shaft with a broad flat blade. Rudimentary single line figure-of-8 carving to the shaft. The blade pierced for decoration with feathers. Height 111 cm.
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A 19th century Maori carved toki kakauroa (long handled axe). Split to shaft but structurally intact. Iron trade axe head. Height 129 cm.
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A large early 20th century pou Whakairo. The standing figure holding a patu in one hand and a pouwhenua in the other. The figures body interlaced by two manaia figures. His front leg placed on a wheku head. Raised on a circular plinth base. Damage and losses evident. Height 210 cm
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A large decorative koruru. The naturalistic face with pierced eyes and open mouth and with detailed ta moko. Some splitting and damage evident to the surface. 20th century. 105 x 60 cm
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A large pounamu river boulder. Inanga variety stone. Length 56 cm
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A 19th century patu paraoa (whalebone hand club). Flat spatulate shape reducing to the grip section terminating in a rounded butt. Pierced for suspension with attached muka binding. Heavily grained surface. Chip to blade.
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A whalebone patiti with a trade axe head. Incipient wheku head carved to grip section. Pierced for suspension. Height 29 cm.
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A large 19th century pa kahawai (trolling lure). Wood and paua shell shank with bone hook and muka fiber lashing. Length 16.5 cm.
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A Pre-European patu onewa (stone hand club). Pecked and polished spatulate shape tapering to the grip section, terminating in four concentric grooves and countersunk suspension hole to the butt. Chip to the blade. Length 26 cm.
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A large 19th century kapeu (ear pendant). Carved in inanga variety stone with natural inclusions. Traditional stone drilled suspension hole. Height 16.5 cm.
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Six bone uhi (Ta Moko chisels)
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A 19th century pa kahawai (trolling lure). With carved wood and paua shell shank. Whale bone hook bound with muka fiber. Length 10 cm.
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A large pre-European Maori kohatu punga (anchor stone). Stone-tooled suspension hole. 31 cm at widest point
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A large and impressive 18th century hei tiki high translucency Tangiwai (bowenite) variety stone with white inclusions to the left side of the face and lower section. Type I form with deeply recessed eyes and some wear to the nose and mouth reflecting significant age. Two worn out suspension holes to the top of the head. Provenance: Dame Jenny Gibbs collection length 12 cm,
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A superb large 18th century hei tiki. A suberb example of an early type II hei tiki carved in bright inanga variety stone. The head displays ear and chin projections, small recessed eyes with surmounting crescent shaped eyebrow markings and lightly detailed nasal bridge and mouth. Details of the three-fingered hands are worn but clearly visible. Also noticeable are the small holes to mark three toed feet. The back is flat and even with a traditionally stone-drilled countersunk suspension hole. During the…
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An ebonised coffer by Thomas Aubrey Chappe Hall. The superbly carved box with a wheku head to the lid rendered in high relief with cut paua disc eyes and protruding tongue framed by ancestral figures and manaia. The outside edge with rauponga detailing. The front and back panels with forward facing figures flanked by manaia with cut paua disc eyes. The sides with wheku heads carved in low relief. Supported on four legs carved as tekoteko figures in high relief. Provenance: From the family of Thomas Aubrey…
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A superb ebonized longcase clock by Thomas Aubrey Chappe Hall. The hood carved in the form of the front of a wharenui. The koruru rendered in high relief with a protruding tongue. The maihi carved with manaia. The amo also in high relief and carved as tekoteko figures with wheku heads and paua disc eyes. The trunk with manaia figures with paua disc eyes framed by rauponga detailing. The sides inset with paua discs. The base with a manaia type figure and with two high relief carved wheku masks. Associated…
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An early 20th century cigarette box carved by Thomas Aubrey Chappe Hall. Ebonised wood box carved in high relief with a manaia figure to the lid and wheku figures to the four sides, with cut paua inlay. Height 8 cm, width 22 cm, depth 15 cm.
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An early 20th century lidded box carved by Thomas Aubrey Chappe Hall. Varnished wood box carved with rauponga patterns to the lid and wheku figures carved to the lateral and undersides. Protruding wheku heads form the side handles. Embellished with inlaid cut paua and glass beads. Height 5 cm, width 35 cm, depth 7 cm.
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Large antique carved lidded Maori box. The lid and sides decorated in rauponga patterns and manaia motifs with two wheku figures carved in high relief forming a raised handle. The box is reputed to have originated in Manawatu in the late 19th to early 20th century and was custom built for its owner with carved initials Ebs integrated into the lid carving. Provenance: Mr Edward B Shand's second wife, Elsie (Nee Hemmings) then gifted to her great niece c.1957. Height 16 cm, width 38 cm, depth 22 cm
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An impressive late 19th century carved ngati tarawhai model Pataka (Storehouse). The paepae carved with wheku heads and manaia. The amo carved with ancestral figures with paua shell eyes. The mahi with interweaving koru designs in low relief terminating in raparapa with takarangi spirals. The mahi centered by a carved tekoteko figure surmounting a smaller figure, each with paua shell eyes. A similar model pataka by Tene Waitere is held in the British Museum collection. Another similar model pataka was sold…
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Carved lidded Maori box c.1930s hinged kauri box carved with rauponga and wheku figures and embellished with cut paua. Height 7 cm, width 20 cm, depth 11 cm
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A pouwhenua carved by Tim Wraight in 2002. This pouwhenua is carved from ancient swamp totara at the Maori Marae at Motueka near Nelson. It was blessed at the Maori Marae at Arahura on the West coast on its journey to the vendors then property in Wanaka and named Arahura. A form of Korowai, the Maori cloak. Whaiao papa mother earth and Ranginui the sky father are represented at each end. They are joined by the cloak border in the Poutama stairway to heaven design showing the pursuit of knowledge and…
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A good contemporary hei tiki by Alan brown. A large type II hei tiki carved in deep green inanga variety stone with luminous gold and pale milky inclusions. Heavy and muscular with finely carved detailed features to the face and body. Suspension through the right arm hole.
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A contemporary whalebone hei tiki. A type II form with three fingered hands to the torso. Paua shell inlay to the eyes and back of the head. Carved verso. Comes with a small woven flax bag. Height 12 cm
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A contemporary hei tiki. Carved in Kawakawa variety stone with marsden inclusion running down the left side of the face and body. Lugged suspension hole to the top of the head. Height 8 cm
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A contemporary hei tiki. A type I form carved in pale opaque inanga variety stone with pale and dark inclusions. Facial features are sharply rendered with detailed nasal bridge and nostrils, forked tongue, and red sealing wax applied to the eye rings. Three ribs carved to the torso. Female sex indicated. Plated fiber binding with bone toggle attached at the left arm hole. Comes with small woven flax bag. Height 10.5 cm
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A contemporary whalebone hand axe. Whalebone shaft and head attached with woven muka binding. Wheku face carved to the poll section of the blade face. Grip section pierced for suspension. Chip to blade. Height 30 cm
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A finely carved Tangiwai (Bowenite) manaia pendant. Northern school of carving (circa 1960s), Rotorua. Height 7 cm
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A contemporary carved whale tooth Rei Puta. With plated fiber binding. Height 9 cm
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A black coral Nguru (nose flute). Made at the New Zealand Maori Arts & Crafts Institute (Nzmaci), Rotorua,1960s. Length 16 cm
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A rare 19th century whale bone pa kahawai (trolling lure). Whale bone shank and hook bound with muka fiber. Length 9.5 cm.
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Antique sperm whale Scrimshawed tooth. Displaying a finely rendered whaling scene with clouds in the sky. Length 12 cm
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A late 19th century Korupe (door lintel). Carved with three wheku masks, triple haehae and pakiti patterns. Paua shell inlay with some losses. Ochre surface pigment worn. Length 133 cm x height 37 cm.
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An early 20th century tekoteko figure. Standing figure with rauponga patterns carved to the body, surmounted by a naturalistic head with ta moko and cut paua eyes. Provenance: Ex Douglas Larnach Jp & Margaret Ogilive Larnach collection. Height 85 cm
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An early 20th century hoe (Maori paddle). The blade face carved with a wheku head surmounting rauponga spiral patterns. The shaft terminating in a wheku figure finial height 215 cm.
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Rare antique carved ivory King Tawhiao head walking cane handle. With ta moko and glass eyes (one missing). Chip to the collar and fracture to base. Height 7.5 cm
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Rectangular shape, raised on four feet. Length 32.5 cm
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A 19th century iron trade axe head length 18 cm
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Sperm whale Scrimshawed tooth. Tall ship in full sail length 12 cm
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Large sperm whale tooth length 17 cm
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Large sperm whale tooth length 17 cm
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Sperm whale tooth length 13.5 cm
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Sperm whale tooth length 14.5 cm
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Antique sperm whale Scrimshawed tooth. Finely worked with tall ship in full sail length 17 cm
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A large Solomon Island feast bowl. Carved ebonised elliptical form with decorative side handles and intricate abalone shell inlay. Length 85 cm
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A fine early 20th century Solomon Islands comb. Fern wood tines decoratively bound with yellow-orchid fibers and red coloured coconut palm frond fiber. Height 17 cm
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A 19th century Tahitian trolling lure. With abalone shell shank and bone hook. Length 11 cm
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A Papua New Guinea Sepik River house board. Carved wood displaying three surmounting anthropomorphic faces. Carved to commemorate the death of triplets. Suspension holes. Height 157 cm
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A 19th century Tongan paddle club. Fine intricate uniform carving pattern throughout. Height 96 cm
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Two Bourgainville Island paddles height 131 cm, 123 cm
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A carved wood Pitcairn Island cup height 17 cm
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Four Obsidian Flakes
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An antique ceremonial brass belt from the Philippines. From the Bilaan tribe of the Mindanao Region. Length 740 cm, height 19 cm
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A carved wood Granary door from the Dogon people of Mali. Depicting people wearing Kanaga masks for the Dama ceremony of mourning. Provenance: Private Collection of Michael Yoffe. 72 cm x 46 cm
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