A superb large and impressive 18th century hei tiki, a good example of a large early type II form carved in pale opaque inanga. The head shows a leftward orientation with shallow eye rings forming a wide flat nose and a mouth with tongue and two teeth. The muscular body displays a torso with carved ribs and finely pointed elbows. The flat even verso surface and bevel to the lower legs suggests it was refashioned from an adze. Two concealed countersunk holes to the back of the head and a third broken above the right eye commensurate with age and use. Provenance: formally owned by Sir David Munro (1813 - 1877) speaker of the house of representatives New Zealand. Height 14 cm.