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• Auction House:
  Theodore Bruce
• Sale Name:
  The Todd Barlin Collection of Fine Oceanic & Asian Arts
• Sale Date:
  08 May 2016 ~ 12noon
• Lot #:
  267
• Lot Description:
  Rootstock Club Fiji, 19th Century
  this heavy large club is a rootstock club called Waka.
  L. 108 cm
• Provenance:
  Todd Barlin Collection.
• Notes:
  The mace like head of the club is carved from the buttress roots of the uprooted sapling from which the club was made. The handle of the club is carved with zigzag design in relief, known as tavatava. The design has been interpreted as a pictorial representation of seniti binding and is a design borrowed from Fijian body art. The role of the craftsman in Fijian culture was highly valued and the woodcraftsmen in Fiji formed a distinct group in the community, with their own chiefs and specialists in making various items. Clubs were lovingly crafted and some clubs took years to make. Club carvers 'matai ni malumu' were highly skilled in selecting the correct type of wood for making the club and experienced enough to experiment with design as the variations in design and ornamentation on Fijian clubs attest. Picture: Fijian Rugby Star, Wes Naiqama, holding the club in 2011
• Estimate:
  A$600 - 1,200
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Tribal

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.