Grand bol de service

Description

wood, lime, handwritten collection number “71027. L.1057. / 173. Tami-Ins. Kap. Spring.” and “71027” in second place

According to the information kindly provided by Dr Walda-Mandel (Oceania Department at the Linden-Museum Stuttgart), the bowl was collected on site by merchant captain Albert Spring and came to the Linden-Museum Stuttgart in 1911. The bowl was part of a collection of more than 200 objects from different parts of the world that Spring donated to the museum. This donation was arranged by Paul Staudinger. On 8 November 1967, the bowl was given to Ludwig Bretschneider in exchange.

The artists of the Tami Islands, a group of small islets off the eastern tip of
the Huon Peninsula, were the most prolific carvers in northeast New Guinea. They produced large quantities of objects, in part for local use but
primarily for trade to neighbouring groups.

The most important Tami trade goods were intricately carved hardwood bowls, which formed an essential component of the bride-wealth gifts to exchange them at marriage ceremonies throughout the region.

These superbly crafted bowls served as ceremonial vessels, used for the preparation and distribution of food during feasts and rituals.

They were carved from a type of hardwood known as “kwila” (“intsia bijuga”). After the images were carved the bowls were stained with volcanic mud to give them a deep patina. The entire bowl was then covered with lime pigment. Everything but the incised designs were then wiped clean, leaving the white pigmentation which highlight the grooves of the bowl’s designs.