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A rare and Important Kauri Gum Carved Bust of King Potatau II,…
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Auckland
Date:
14-May-2008
Lot No.
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Description:
A rare and Important Kauri Gum Carved Bust of King Potatau II, son of the first Maori King, whom he succeeded in 1860. At the outbreak of the Waikato War in 1863, he commanded the Maoris against the British troops under General Cameron. His patriotism was beyond question and after the signing of the general amnesty of 1871, he either surrendered or refused his personal pension and privileges from the British and served the Maori Kingdom reigning as an absolute monarch over one of the most extensive and fertile portions of New Zealand. His illustrious descent and exalted titles caused him to be venerated by his people. Portraits of King Potatau exist in the General Assembly Library and the Alexander Turnbull Library in New Zealand. There are only seven known busts of this size by the 19th century sculptor who may possibly have been Anton Teutenberg. Other busts by the same sculptor have provenance dating back to the 1880s, and this, together with the intimate detail of the moko suggest it was sculptured c. 1875. Height 34 cm
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified