New Guinea, Highlands, tribe: Mendi: A rare battle shield of the Papua highlands, with reliefs on the front side and coloured red, white and black.
New Guinea, Highlands, tribe: Mendi: A rare battle shield of the Papua highlands, with reliefs on the front side and coloured red, white and black.
A long oval battle shield of the Mendi, from the southern highlands of New Guinea. Made out f hard, dark wood. Carved on the front side with two vertical, raised relief lines, extensively painted with red, black and white earth- and natural colours, and additionally decorated with supplemental lines of small decorative holes. In the middle of the shield, a twisted carrying cord of plant fibres is knotted in two larger holes.
On the front, both holes are enhanced by means of white painted circles into symbolic ‘eyes’.
The long carrying cord on the rear of the shield means that the warrior can carry the shield over one shoulder, leaving both arms and hands free for the utilisation of weapons. The back of the shield is smooth and painted black. A beautiful, typical Mendi shield, with good patina and only minor damage (colour somewhat scuffed and edges slightly chipped).
First half of the 20th century; H: 121 cm; W: 41 cm. (ME)
Lit.: ‘Ozeanische Kunst’ by Anthony J. P. Meyer, ill. 339; ‘New Guinea Art’ by Marcia & John Friede, ill. 596.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
26.05.2015 - 15:00
- Estimate:
-
EUR 8,000.- to EUR 10,000.-
New Guinea, Highlands, tribe: Mendi: A rare battle shield of the Papua highlands, with reliefs on the front side and coloured red, white and black.
A long oval battle shield of the Mendi, from the southern highlands of New Guinea. Made out f hard, dark wood. Carved on the front side with two vertical, raised relief lines, extensively painted with red, black and white earth- and natural colours, and additionally decorated with supplemental lines of small decorative holes. In the middle of the shield, a twisted carrying cord of plant fibres is knotted in two larger holes.
On the front, both holes are enhanced by means of white painted circles into symbolic ‘eyes’.
The long carrying cord on the rear of the shield means that the warrior can carry the shield over one shoulder, leaving both arms and hands free for the utilisation of weapons. The back of the shield is smooth and painted black. A beautiful, typical Mendi shield, with good patina and only minor damage (colour somewhat scuffed and edges slightly chipped).
First half of the 20th century; H: 121 cm; W: 41 cm. (ME)
Lit.: ‘Ozeanische Kunst’ by Anthony J. P. Meyer, ill. 339; ‘New Guinea Art’ by Marcia & John Friede, ill. 596.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
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| Auction: | Tribal Art |
| Auction type: | Saleroom auction |
| Date: | 26.05.2015 - 15:00 |
| Location: | Vienna | Palais Dorotheum |
| Exhibition: | 20.05. - 26.05.2015 |