Items Similar to Early 20th Century Abstract Tonga Tapa Cloth Aboriginal Art Of South Pacific
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 15
Early 20th Century Abstract Tonga Tapa Cloth Aboriginal Art Of South Pacific
$1,500
£1,143.03
€1,318.23
CA$2,130.45
A$2,289.05
CHF 1,228.07
MX$26,967.63
About the Item
This striking early 20th century tapa bark cloth from Western Samoa and the greater Tongan cultural sphere is a rare and powerful example of Pacific Island textile artistry. Hand-painted in deep brownish-black tones using traditional ‘o‘a sap blended with charcoal derived from llama nut kernels, the richly resinous surface displays the distinctive matte-gloss patina prized in historic Samoan tapa.
Unlike woven textiles, tapa is created through an ancient and highly labor-intensive process in which the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree is soaked, beaten, and stretched by hand until it forms a supple cloth-like surface. The overlapping fibers, organic irregularities, and tactile depth are not imperfections but hallmarks of authenticity—revealing the direct imprint of the maker’s hand and the raw material itself.
The abstract freehand painted motifs are imbued with both rhythm and restraint, creating a visual language that feels simultaneously primal and modern. These gestural forms, achieved without mechanical tools, give the piece a quiet architectural presence. Today, original antique tapa is increasingly rare, particularly examples of this scale and visual sophistication.
Dimensions: 13” x 19”
Date of Manufacture: 1st Quarter of the 1900s
Place of Origin: Tonga, Oceania
Material: Bark Cloth
Condition: Wear consistent with age and use
The Persian Knot Gallery, SKU: 2340
Early 20th Century Tapa, Samoan Tapa Cloth, Tongan Bark Cloth, Oceanic Tribal Textile, Antique Pacific Island Art, Hand Painted Tapa, Abstract Tribal Wall Art, Paper Mulberry Bark Cloth, Ethnographic Textile, Primitive Textile Art, Indigenous Oceanic Art, Collector Tapa Cloth, Designer Wall Textile, Museum Quality Tribal Art.
- Dimensions:Height: 0.1 in (2.54 mm)Width: 19 in (48.26 cm)Depth: 13 in (33.02 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1900-1909
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Barrington, IL
- Reference Number:Seller: The Persian Knot Gallery, SKU: 23401stDibs: LU8224248283882
About the Seller
5.0
Gold Seller
Premium sellers maintaining a 4.3+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 1990
1stDibs seller since 2023
49 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: <1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Barrington, IL
- Return Policy
More From This Seller
View AllEarly 20th Century Abstract Tonga Tapa Cloth Aboriginal Art Of South Pacific
Located in Barrington, IL
This striking early 20th century tapa bark cloth from Western Samoa and the greater Tongan cultural sphere is a rare and powerful example of Pacific Island textile artistry. Hand-pai...
Category
Early 20th Century Tongan Tribal Art
Materials
Wood, Parchment Paper
Early 20th Century Abstract Tonga Tapa Cloth Aboriginal Art Of South Pacific
Located in Barrington, IL
This striking early 20th century tapa bark cloth from Western Samoa and the greater Tongan cultural sphere is a rare and powerful example of Pacific Island textile artistry. Hand-pai...
Category
Early 20th Century Tongan Tribal Art
Materials
Wood, Parchment Paper
Early 20th Century Abstract Tonga Tapa Cloth Aboriginal Art Of South Pacific
Located in Barrington, IL
This striking early 20th century tapa bark cloth from Western Samoa and the greater Tongan cultural sphere is a rare and powerful example of Pacific Island textile artistry. Hand-pai...
Category
Early 20th Century Tongan Tribal Art
Materials
Wood, Parchment Paper
Early 20th Century Abstract Tonga Tapa Cloth Aboriginal Art Of South Pacific
Located in Barrington, IL
Early 20th century abstract tapa bark cloth from western Samoa with a royal coat of arms design. Hand-painted in deep brownish-black tones using traditional ‘o‘a sap blended with ch...
Category
Early 20th Century Tongan Tribal Art
Materials
Wood, Parchment Paper
Early 20th Century Abstract Tonga Tapa Cloth Aboriginal Art Of South Pacific
Located in Barrington, IL
Early 20th century abstract tapa bark cloth from western Samoa with a royal coat of arms design. Hand-painted in deep brownish-black tones using traditional ‘o‘a sap blended with ch...
Category
Early 20th Century Tongan Tribal Art
Materials
Wood, Parchment Paper
Ewe Kente Cloth of Ashante Tribe Woven Textile
Located in Barrington, IL
This vibrant hand-woven Kente cloth is an authentic West African textile created within the esteemed Ewe–Asante (Ashanti) weaving tradition of Ghana, one of Africa’s most celebrated and historically significant textile arts. Woven from a luxurious blend of silk and cotton, this piece reflects generations of master craftsmanship and cultural storytelling.
The design features a dynamic palette of magenta, green, golden yellow, and deep black, arranged in rhythmic geometric bands that are both visually powerful and symbolically rich. In traditional Kente language, these colors represent vitality, growth, prosperity, and spiritual strength, making the textile not only decorative but deeply meaningful.
Kente cloths were historically worn by royalty and nobility and used in ceremonial and important social occasions, symbolizing status, wisdom, and cultural identity. Today, authentic Kente is highly sought after by collectors and interior designers for its bold graphic presence and refined hand-woven texture.
Dimensions: 80” x 135”
Date of Manufacture: 3rd Quarter of the 1900s
Place of Origin: Ghana, Africa
Material: Silk, Cotton
Condition: Good
The Persian Knot Gallery, SKU: 2323
African Kente Cloth, Ewe Kente Textile, Ashanti Kente, Hand Woven African Textile, Ghanaian Kente Cloth, Silk And Cotton Kente, African Wall Hanging, Tribal Textile Art, Vintage African Fabric, Ghana Textile...
Category
Late 20th Century Ghanaian Rugs
Materials
Cotton, Silk
You May Also Like
Mid-20th Century Tribal Tapa Cloth, Fiji
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Tapa cloth made from mulberry fiber with natural pigments, Fiji, mid-20th century.
Category
Mid-20th Century Fijian Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Natural Fiber
Kuba Shoowa Textile 20th Century
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Shoowa Prestige Cloth
D.R.Congo, Kuba (Shoowa) People
Mid 20th century
Raffia, natural dyes, cut pile embroidery
61 x 53.5 cm (24″ x 21”)
Provenance: Pierre Loos Collection, Bru...
Category
Early 20th Century Congolese Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Natural Fiber
Mud Cloth
Bogolanfini
, Mali, Bamana People, Mid-20th Century
Located in Ottawa, Ontario
A mud cloth (Bogolanfini),
Mali, Bamana People
mid-20th century.
Hand woven 'discharge dyed' cotton
Approximately 71 x 52 in. (180cm. x 132cm.)
A dazzling geometric pattern...
Category
Mid-20th Century Malian Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Fabric
Tribal Textile, Kuba Shoowa 20th Century
Located in Point Richmond, CA
A late 19th or early 20th century Kuba Prestige cloth, mostly embroidered with cut pile borders.
Category
Early 20th Century Congolese Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Natural Fiber
Tribal Style 12 Ft Polynesian Tapa Bark Cloth from Tonga
Located in Rio Vista, CA
Large tribal style Polynesian tapa or barkcloth from the South Pacific Island nation of Tonga. The cloth measures over 12 feet wide and over 8 feet high. Handcrafted from the bark of...
Category
20th Century Tongan Tribal Paintings
Materials
Wood
Rare Large Size Antique Tonga Tapa Cloth
Located in Milan, IT
Tapa cloth is a barkcloth made in the islands of the Pacific Ocean, primarily in Tonga, Samoa and Fiji. In Tonga, the same cloth is known as ngatu, and here it is of great social im...
Category
Vintage 1920s Tongan Tribal Quilts and Blankets
Materials
Natural Fiber, Paint
