A war shield, Mount Hagen area, Highlands Province, this is an old and well used shield with pecked and painted designs, the back with original wood cross handle grip. Provenance: Collected by Ian Downs (1915-2004); Downs was an Australian colonial patrol officer, that first went on patrol in the mount Hagen area in 1938, he later became deputy administrator in the 1950's. 139 x 62 cm