Pacific Islands Sculptures and Carvings

Wood Carved Stirrup Vessel, or Pipe, Massim people, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea. Hand-carved wood in the form of a large animal with a top ci...

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik light wood yam mask. Elegant flame shaped form, old, oxidized wood with black accents, traces of yellow and white pigments. Small...

Early vintage or antique South Seas carved teak Mermaid, circa 1920s or perhaps earlier, a hand carved upright figure holding a carved shell, with deeply carved flowers in grooved hair flowing down back, shell necklace, and scale pattern throughout her tail. The statue is weathered, has a few age cracks, and the end of the tail is broken. Mounted long ago on a late Victorian brass lamp...

Abstract and anthropomorphic large figure from the Pie River, located to the east of the Era River. Abstract, anthropomorphic form stands on separate legs with dynamic varying outline, wide hips, and torso leading straight to a rounded head. Figure represents Irivake, the ancestor hero who is considered as the founder of headhunting, also believed to have climbed to the sky and to command lightning. It is enlivened with various curvilinear details highlighted with red and white pigments. The back appears with a collection number in red, and the following: Ipigau (village), Upper Pie River, Papua, P63.20. This is a 'later example', not a first generation piece with several age cracks. It has likely seen field use, but not extensive field use. Provenance: Private New Jersey Collection, ex. Michael Rockefeller...

The Tribes from the Solomon Islands worshipped the skulls of their ancestors as being the home of their spirits. If no remains of a great man were pres...

A fantastic hand-carved primitive wood totem sculpture/ figure from the Sepik River people (Ambunti and Wewak) of Papua New Guinea. This work, which features tusked ancestral spirit ...

Originally collected in the Solomon Islands in 1938, this one of a kind treasure from the south pacific comes from a private oceanic collection. This is a Solomon Islands Santa Cruz hand carved figure called a Duka, circa 1930s. It was carved in an extremely hard native wood and features a finely carved, unusual extended conical head, a handwoven loin cloth and turmeric encrustation. For your convenience, many of our photographs were taken in natural day light which accurately illuminate surface areas depicting original dark patina that you would expect from an important early carving such as this one. We will include a complimentary custom wood display base that you see photographed. Dimensions: 21.25 inches high Provenance: collected in l938 and originally acquired by a visiting French collecting tourist in the Solomon Islands then to dealer and Texas collector and to our private collection in year 2000 so could have been a specially crafted fine 1930s tourist sculpture piece for the visiting French tourist. History: Duka sculpture from Nendo Island, politically part of the Solomon Islands, is distinctive, and only a limited number of works have been documented. The conical extension at the back of the head represents a man's hairstyle. Called abe, its construction and shape was a symbol of wealth and high social status, and for older men, it also served the practical purpose of covering bald spots. All Nendo figure refer to deities or supernatural beings (Ellis: 2009, pp. 78-85) Auction sale: Bonhams Auctions April 28, 2015 sale. Exceptional Lime Container...

An Oceanic "Gope" Papuan ancestral spirit board, 20th century, collected from the Gulf Province, Papua, New Guinea, Kerewa or Hohao village tribe. Hand...

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik tightly woven raffia mask from a talipun bride price currency. Areas of white, black and red pigments. Wonderful heart shaped face with open eyes and mouth. This mask or face would have been tied to a large shell which was the currency used...

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik tightly woven raffia mask from a talipun bride price currency piece. Old very encrusted surface. Areas of red and other pigments. Wonderful heart shaped...

Large Early Papua New Guinea Carved Coconut Scoop or Spoon with Figure Scoop is 3 x 4 3/4 x 4 3/4", on custom wood and metal base total height 7 1/2 ...

Early Papua New Guinea painted Maprik carved hard wood mask. Mid-20th century, with wonderful curved expressive asymmetrical face. Long nose with pierced septum. Faded polychrome pig...

From Papua New Guinea an early painted Maprik carved wood head sculpture or mask, intense expression showing teeth, and two opposing stylize...

Group of three early Papua New Guinea Sepik miniature tightly woven raffia yam mask with areas of heavy yellow and black pigments. Different Bird imagery in...

Early Papua New Guinea abstract hook figure or mask with two opposing hooks, and central looped design, Sepik River area. Some chips missing to central loops. Small hole at top for s...

Early Papua New Guinea painted Maprik carved hard wood mask with long curved tongue. Mid-20th century, ex Michael Hamson, CA with label on back. Classic Maprik colors with faded po...

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik River area tightly woven raffia yam mask with areas of heavy yellow and black pigments. In profile small bird beak form at bottom...

Wonderful Sculpture by the noted German born Tahitian artist Andreas Dettloff. The sculpture is titled “My Polynesian Heart” and dated 2003. It, or an extremely similar one is depict...

A Papua New Guinea carved-wood Lumi shield from the mid-20th century. This vintage war shield from the West Sepik region, the northwestern most province of...