Rare early shield, Coward Springs, South Australia, carved and engraved hardwood and natural pigments (with custom stand) oval in form with rounded ends and a handle carved from solid form level with surface. There is continuous fine adzing on both surfaces. It is pigmented. Length 58 x 16.5 cm. Provenance: C1910-1920, collected Oodnadatta railway line, Coward Springs Jeff Fischer, Adelaide. Private collection, South Australia