Suspension hook "samban" or "tshambwan" · Papua New Guinea - East Sepik Province, Iatmul · ID: 3052613
Loed van Bussel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dorotheum, Vienna, Austria, 4 October 2021, lot 79
Description
wood, black paint residue, rattan, base
Suspended from the rafters by a cord, they are used to safeguard food, clothing, and other items, which are placed in baskets or string bags and hung from the hook-shaped prongs at the base to keep them out of reach of vermin.
Most hooks are adorned with representations of ancestral spirits and totemic animals associated with the owner’s clan.
In earlier times, some particularly important suspension hooks received offerings to connect with the powerful “waken”, supernatural beings, and to seek their advice on significant matters.
The object Suspension hook “samban” or “tshambwan” with the object ID 3052613 was part of the auction Auction 105 on November 15, 2025, lot number 166 at that time and is currently available for EUR 4,000 in Open sale.
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