Ceremonial paddle, 19th century · Austral Islands, Ra'ivavae · ID: 3041835
Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg, 22 March 2014, lot 67
Description
wood, dark brown patina, delicate chip-carved patterns cover the blade and shaft, the conical handle terminus encircled by a row of human figures, slightly dam., minor missing parts (rim of the blade), metal base;
such paddles are said to have been used in dances or on occasion of state affairs when one chief visited another. Paddles of this highly decorated kind were perhaps the most collected objects in the Pacific in the first half of 19th century. Well over one thousand exist in collections, and research has shown that they were made during a dynamic period of activity by Ra’ivavae carvers around 1820 -1840.
The object Ceremonial paddle, 19th century with the object ID 3041835 was last part of the auction 85th Tribal Art Auction at March 4, 2017 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 50 achieved a sales price of EUR 3,500.
You can find more Paddles and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on Oceanian art.
Expertise
Galerie & Atelier Punchinello, Paris, 30 December 2010
Comparing literature
Hooper, Steven, Pacific Encounters, Norwich 2006, p. 216, ill. 184