Tapa clapper and snuff staff
Papua New Guinea, North Coast
not available anymore
Description
a) tapa clapper, wood, dark brown patina, remains of black paint and white pigment, l: 35 cm, incised hook- and diamond-shaped decor, slightly dam., minor missing parts, paint rubbed off, 19th century, provenance: Bodes en Bode, The Hague, The Netherlands; used by women for producing “tapa” bark cloth, while the supply with raw material and the painting of the finished cloth was men’s work; b) snuff staff, bamboo, l: 20 cm, incised ornamental and figural motifs, the latter with european influence, old collection number “1892”, strong smell of tobacco, slightly dam., cracks