Three Superb Old New Guinea Marupai Charms Orokolo Bay Papuan Gulf Area Papua New Guinea

Three Superb Old New Guinea Marupai Charm from the Elema People Orokolo Bay in the Papuan Gulf Area of Papua New Guinea

Marupai is a type of magical charm that most men owned & used in the Papuan Gulf cultures. Carved from dwarf coconuts and finely incised over their entire surface with Ancestral Spirits just like the better-known Gope Spirit Boards from the same area. They are almost certainly from the 19th Century as they were all collected in 1948.  Marupai are masterpieces of small-scale sculpture.

Marupai were often kept inside little woven bags that sometimes were tied together in groups, men wore them or carried them in their bags to protect themselves & their families from malevolent sorcerers or bad magic.  They were also used as Hunting Charms, to control the weather & for love magic.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art

I first went to Papua New Guinea in 1985 for an adventure & what I found was that I really enjoyed being with the people of New Guinea, over the next 38 years I spent extensive time spent collecting and documenting traditional art & ceremonies in remote areas of Papua New Guinea & West Papua, The Solomon Islands & Vanuatu & the other Pacific Islands countries. During these travels, I made major collections of New Guinea and oceanic Art for major Museums and Public Art Galleries

I was honoured by being in the prestigious Louvre Museum Magazine for the collections I made for The Museum of African & Oceanic Art Paris in1996 (now the Musee Quai Branly) for the exhibition “Asmat et Mimika d’ Irian Jaya April 1996 At THE MUSEE NATIONAL des ARTS D’AFRIQUE et d’ OCEANIE, Paris

See all of the links & photos in my new EXHIBITIONS GALLERY and there is the link to the article in the prestigious Louvre Magazine 1996

I have artwork for Museums & Art Galleries but also for collectors at every stage of their collecting. I want to encourage people to explore the fine art of New Guinea & West Papua and the Pacific Islands and to be able to see and touch the artworks in a relaxed and friendly manner in my Sydney Gallery.  I would like to invite you to visit my gallery and see the artworks in person and also look at my website www.oceanicartsaustralia.com  where there are many Galleries & Sub Galleries to explore.

My Gallery of nearly 40 years is the last physical gallery in Sydney that specialises in New Guinea & Oceanic Art. Sydney is just a couple hours’ flight to New Guinea & the Pacific Islands where all of these amazing artworks came from, Australia’s closest neighbours.

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If you have a similar “object” for sale please contact me for the best price and honest advice by a Government approved valuer 

To see many more rare items and the finest masterpieces, please make an appointment with us to visit the gallery.

For all inquiries, please contact us.