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Rare Large Size Antique Tonga Tapa Cloth

$3,350.86

£2,508.49

€2,800

CA$4,612.88

A$5,042.78

CHF 2,667.86

MX$60,345

NOK 33,944.67

SEK 31,072.92

DKK 21,332.55

About the Item

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 importance to the islanders, often being given as gifts. The cloth itself is obtained from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree, and is then hand painted using natural dyes extracted from plants, trees and clays.In Tonga a family is considered poor, no matter how much money they have, if they do not have any tapa in stock at home to donate at life events like marriages. It is extremely rare to find in such large dimensions, indicating that it was quite possibly originally intended to be donated to a tribal chief or a member of the Tonga Royal family.

Dimensions:
Height: 139.77 in (355 cm)Width: 112.21 in (285 cm)Depth: 0.08 in (2 mm)
Style:
Tribal (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Natural Fiber,Paint,Hand-Crafted,Hand-Painted
Place of Origin:
Tonga
Period:
1920-1929
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1920
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Milan, IT
Reference Number:
Seller: Alberto Levi Gallery SN1stDibs: LU954937413322

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