A whalebone heitiki, Aotearoa, transitional heitiki in whalebone. With the emergence of the British curio trade in the 19th century amongst the middle and upper classes, Maori quickly adapted their skills into producing 'Authentic' pieces to satisfy the Victorian need for 'tribal relics'. This tiki is produced in orthodox form with head tilting to shoulder and aggressively protruding tongue. With hands resting on her thighs, broad shoulders and pregnant belly this transitional tiki is presented on a custom stand., height 9.9 cm, width 5.5 cm, depth 1.2 cm, on stand height 15.5 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, Aotearoa