Carved shells in animal shape. Polished outer surface. Bottom half of shell - body of animal with 2 small extended arms. Has curved triangular shaped piece with carved facial features. 3 holes at end.

Images(5)

Ladle

Maker New Guinean, Trobriand Islands

Date20th century

Place of originAsia

MediumCoconut shell

Dimensions4 1/2 x 3 1/4 x 3 in. (11.4 x 8.3 x 7.6 cm)

ClassificationsFurnishings and Equipment

Credit LineGift of Dr. Samuel Spring

Object numberS85-SPNG-G127

Collections

OCEANIC

Visual DescriptionCarved shells in animal shape. Polished outer surface. Bottom half of shell - body of animal with 2 small extended arms. Has curved triangular shaped piece with carved facial features. 3 holes at end.

Discover More

Canoe prow

New Guinean, Trobriand Islands, Massim area

20th century

Shell trumpet

Kandawar Island, Papua New Guinea

20th century

Helmet mask depicting a composite boar and bird, made of wood and rattan, lined with cloth. The face has intricate openwork carving and is painted with fine lines in red, and black pigments over a white ground. A ruff of coconut fibers encircling back of head and fringe on chin. Snout of warthog has a bird with long bill, which is broken and glued together. Eyes of warthog and bird are made of snail shells (opercula). Trade cloth liner is made of two pieces of different floral patterns.

Boar Mask

Papua New Guinea

early-mid 20th century

Traditional elongated facial mask with long nose pierced at septum with boar tusk extending to chin where bird protrudes down. Face surrounded by shells embedded in clay. Shells on nose extension. Human hair at top of head beneath plaited raffia loop for hanging. Small inset shells for eyes underneath carved protruding brows. Dark stain. Painted traditional designs.

Mai Mask

Iatmul

20th century

Water drum

Tami Islands

19th century

Plaited fiber in hanging rectangles edged with cowrie shells. Front has 4 hanging panels with attached dangling disc. Repeat in back. Large shells are mounted on either side of plaited fiber. Connected by stick that supports fiber. Double loops.

Double shell necklace

New Guinea, Coastal region, Astrolabe Bay

20th century

Human face mask with large arched superstructure of rattan, thick, fiber brush on top, with light pigment on side filling swirl motif; face has operculum shell eyes, with hook nose, mouth has lips that are parted and flattened to form perpendicular plane to face. Face is painted with finely lined motifs, varied pigments against light ground.

Mask for Malangan (tatanua)

Papua New Guinea

late 19th - early 20th century

Simple necklace of two boar tusks joined together with plaited fiber hanging from strand of gray seeds. Curved tusks project left and right and lie flat against surface.

Boar's Tusk Necklace

New Guinean

20th century

Plaited fiber scalloped oval attached to 2 bands or handles of plaited raffia. Extension decorated with numerous half cowries in a geometric design large square with V-shape extensions. Cut wood on either side of square.

Armband

New Guinean, Sepik River

20th century

Rectangular panel; woven glass beads; red, orange, yellow, blue black and white geometric design; long coconut fiber cord fringe on ends.

Beaded ornament

Papua New Guinea

undated

Tortoise Shell Mask

New Guinean

20th century

Headband

New Guinean, Middle or Lower Sepik

20th century