Art For Sale Archive - Page 32 of 51 - Oceanic Arts Australia

A Superb Old Vanuatu Slit Gong Drum Ambrym Island in Vanuatu

A Superb Old Vanuatu Monumental Slit Gong Drum From Ambrym Island in Vanuatu

This beautiful monumental Slit Gong Drum Sculpture is from Ambrym Island in Vanuatu. This Drum was exhibited in 2014 ( see the photos above with orange background) Exhibited & Published in Oceanic Arts Pacifica: Artworks from The Todd Barlin Collection at the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Sydney 2014. Published in the exhibition catalogue on page 75.

The towering slit gongs of northern Vanuatu are among the largest freestanding musical instruments on earth. Found primarily on Ambrym Island, Malekula, and neighbouring islands, they are carved from the trunks of large breadfruit trees, hollowed out to create a resonating chamber with a narrow slit-shaped aperture. The edges of the slit are struck with club-like wood beaters, producing deep, sonorous tones. Several gongs, constituting an informal orchestra, stand on the village’s dancing ground. These gong orchestras are played at major social and ceremonial occasions such as initiations, dances, and funerals. Through carefully coordinated actions, the drummers in the gong ensemble produce rhythms of immense variety and complexity.

Slit gongs are, or were, also used to communicate between villages. Under proper atmospheric conditions, their sound can carry for miles through the forest and, in rare instances, across the water to neighbouring islands. A series of gong languages composed of beats and pauses enables highly specific messages to be sent. This slit gong Drum is from the village of Fanla on Ambrym Island. The gong is made in the form of two stylised ancestor figures. Small arms and spirals depicting sacred pig tusks appear below the face of the bottom ancestor figure. The heads are carved with projections representing hair. The long vertical slit represents the mouth, through which the ancestor’s “voice” emerges as sound whenever the gong is played.

Most of Vanuatu’s cultures have complex men’s secret societies, which involve a series of ritual “grades” through which individuals pass, initiation rites, festivals, and pig sacrifices, to achieve increasing religious and social status. Special ritual objects were made & used for these secret men’s societies.

Provenance: From the collection of the late David Baker (1943-2009 ) who was the president of The Oceanic Arts Society of Australia and was a great collector, expert & supporter of Oceanic Art & Cultures.

Exhibited & Published in Oceanic Arts Pacifica: Artworks from The Todd Barlin Collection at the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Sydney 2016. Published in the exhibition catalogue page 75 The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Art and Oceanic Art and Asian Art

See my new EXHIBITIONS GALLERY showing the Museums and Art Galleries Exhibitions that I provided artworks for over the past 40 years. There is the link to the article about my artworks published in the prestigious Louvre Magazine in 1996

I have artwork for Museums and 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 specializes in New Guinea and Oceanic Art. Sydney is very close to New Guinea & the Pacific Islands where all of these amazing artworks came from, Australia’s closest neighbors.

INQUIRE HERE

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

A Superb Old New Guinea Slit Gong Drum Lower Sepik River East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

A Superb Old New Guinea Slit Gong Drum Lower Sepik River East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea and is called Garamut

This beautiful old & well-used Slit Gong Drum is from the Lower Sepik River area and is a museum-quality masterpiece. In many parts of New Guinea, the sounds produced by certain types of musical instruments are played during traditional ceremonies and are often said to be the voices of supernatural beings. Large slit gongs are a prominent feature of Men’s Ceremonial Houses or Haus Tambaran where they are sometimes arranged in pairs running longitudinally down the length of the earthen floor of the open understory of the structure. Played to accompany a variety of ritual performances and other events, such drums, though used exclusively by men, are readily visible and relatively public objects.

Among Sepik peoples, the most important musical instruments were Sacred Flutes and Slit Gong Drums which are percussion instruments carved from massive logs and hollowed out to create a resonating chamber with a narrow slit-like aperture. The edges are struck with wood beaters to produce a deep, sonorous tone.

The ends of the Slit Gongs are usually embellished with ornate finials depicting important clan ancestors; this very finely carved example has a beautifully carved male Birdman Ancestor Spirit Figure at either end, both figures are surmounted by crocodiles an important clan totem, both sides of this fine drum are adorned with deeply incised clan designs.

Interestingly this Drum just under the male ancestor figures inside the drum is carved female genitalia. The whole Drum has an old patina and remnants of red & black ochre.

Provenance: Collected in the 1960s by Dr. Fred Gerrits. Gerrits was born in 1933 in Bandung, Indonesia. After graduating with a degree in medicine in Holland, he settled in Papua New Guinea in the 1950s, where he met his future wife Nel. Dr Gerrits was a dedicated field collector of New Guinea Art while he was living and working in New Guinea in 1960s -1970s working for the World Health Organization. His collection is world-renowned and is now featured in many Museum Collections and Private Collections around the world.

Dr Fred Gerrits author of “House of Power. House of Pain. Secrets of the Abelam Haus Tambaran of Bongiora (Published 2013) but from his field notes in 1975

The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Art and 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 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

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.

Superb Old New Guinea Sago Stirrer Huon Gulf Area Morobe Province Papua New Guinea

Three Superb Old Sago Stirrer from Tami or Siassi Islands in the Huon Gulf Area Morobe Province Papua New Guinea Dating from the late 19th century

These beautiful utilitarian objects are used for food preparation when making a Sago Pudding. They are finely carved with ancestors’ heads as the main design motif on both sides of the Stirrers. The ancestor’s heads have fine-incised clan designs and long ears wearing pendulum earrings, the top of the Stirrers has a totemic bird, and the other a totemic snake carved in high relief. Carved from a single piece of hardwood and it has a dark old patina from years of use and handling. Old pounders like these were family heirlooms passed down through generations

People in the Huon Gulf made very beautiful daily-use objects like these food stirrers that were decorated with ancestral images that provided a daily visual reminder of their powerful clan ancestors.

When you look through the photos carefully you will see these are beautiful sculptural artworks, they are all on custom-made display stands, and the three together look amazing.

Some of the finest carvers in New Guinea come from the area in the Huon Gulf, they were master carvers and well known for their superb oval-shaped wood bowls that were traded far and wide.

Provenance: Collected in 1927 by Dr Edwin Archibald Holland who was in New Guinea working from 1927 to 1933.

The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Art & Oceanic Art

INQUIRE HERE

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

A Fine Old New Guinea Talipun Bride Price Yangoru Area East Sepik Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Talipun Bride Price Yangoru Area East Sepik Papua New Guinea

The Yangoru Boiken people live on the isolated southern slopes of the Prince Alexander Mountains in the East Sepik Province of Papuan New Guinea.

The Talipun or Talipoon is one of the most important types of traditional currency for the Yangoru Boiken people, it consists of a fibre mask attached to large sea shell. This finely woven mask is without the shell attached, the mask is on a custom-made stand that allows it to float and be easily displayed on a table or shelf. I find the Shells take away from the sculptural beauty of the mask.

The woven fibre masks, often come in different forms that represent important ancestral & or bush spirits that are specific to certain clans. This mask has an ancestor’s face and a wood bird’s head attached to the top. The shells are a pure wealth object. These are used to pay for bride dowry’s or compensation payments for land disputes or other occasions where compensations must be paid. They are still highly valued in remote communities.

Beautiful old Talipun and Abelam Yam Masks are highly sought by collectors and art collectors who saw the great artistry in these woven sculptures. When seen in a set of several masks together you can see how beautiful they look together ( see above photo of Abelam Wood Heads in a row) I still have a few more beautiful old Talipun with & without the large shells. Please ask if you are interested.

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 & Oceanic Art for major Museums and Public Art Galleries

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.

A Fine Old New Guinea Talipun Bride Price Yangoru Area East Sepik Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Talipun Bride Price Yangoru Area East Sepik Papua New Guinea

The Yangoru Boiken people live on the isolated southern slopes of the Prince Alexander Mountains in the East Sepik Province of Papuan New Guinea.

The Talipun or Talipoon is one of the most important types of traditional currency for the Yangoru Boiken people, it consists of a fibre mask attached to a large sea shell. This finely woven mask is without the shell attached, the mask is on a custom-made stand that allows it to float and be easily displayed on a table or shelf. I find the Shells take away from the sculptural beauty of the mask.

The woven fibre masks, often come in different forms that represent important ancestral & or bush spirits that are specific to certain clans. The shells are a pure wealth object. These are used to pay for bride dowry or compensation payments for land disputes or other occasions where compensations must be paid. They are still highly valued in remote communities.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art

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

A Superb Old New Guinea Pigment Dish Sepik River Area East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

A Superb Old New Guinea Pigment Dish Sepik River Area East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea and dates from the late 19th Century

This finely carved old pigment dish is from the Middle Sepik River area of Papua New Guinea. Small ornate bowls like this example were used for mixing ochre colors to paint important ceremonial objects. Ochre was mixed with a bit of coconut oil to act as a binder to get it to stick well to the painted surfaces of ceremonial artworks.

This fine example is carved in the form of a turtle or some other small totemic animal. The bowl is incorporated into the body of the turtle figure and the legs are carved outside the bowl. There is a carved turtle head at one end and its tail at the other. Pigment dishes were usually owned by old men who had kept and used them their whole lives. Sometimes they were family heirlooms used over several generations.

Ochre painted on ceremonial objects was said they give the object spiritual energy that brightened the object. Ceremonial artworks were usually repainted each time they were used for a ceremony.

In addition to creating larger works of sacred sculpture, the peoples of the Sepik region have highly developed traditions of decorative arts, as elsewhere in New Guinea, much of Sepik decorative art is devoted to the adornment of the human body. Sepik artists create diverse forms of jewelry, headdresses, and other personal ornaments.

Personal possessions such as this pigment dish or charms, and a variety of paraphernalia associated with the use of betel nut were often superbly crafted and adorned with both the ancestor figures and spirits and other supernatural beings as well as totemic species associated with the owner’s clan.

Provenance: Collected in the 1920s by Dr Edwin Archibald Holland who was in New Guinea working from 1927 to 1933.

The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Art and Oceanic & Aboriginal Art

INQUIRE HERE

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

A Superb New Guinea Ceremonial Bark Belt Papuan Gulf Area New Guinea

A Superb New Guinea Ceremonial Bark Belt Papuan Gulf Area New Guinea

This fine old ceremonial Bark Belt is from the Papuan Gulf Area in the Gulf Province of Papua New Guinea. In several areas of Papua New Guinea, men made and wore bark belts like this fine example. In the Papuan Gulf area, only men of a certain level of male initiation could wear a Bark Belt and each clan had specific designs that could be used.

To make a Bark Belt like this the bark would have been stripped off a large tree and while still supple it would have been cut and then carved with the incised clan designs, later when dry they would highlight the carving by adding ochre colour as this example. It would be worn around the waist with other accouterments like leaves & tapa cloth and shell ornaments.

This is a superb example because of the extremely well-carved designs and the near-perfect condition. The Bark Belt was collected in the 1960s and it would date from the 1940s or earlier.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of Papua New Guinea Oceanic Art

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

INQUIRE HERE

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.

A Fine Old New Guinea Basket Hook Figure Sepik River Area Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Basket Hook Figure Sepik River Area Papua New Guinea

This old and well-used Basket Hook Figure is from the Sepik Area in The East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea. I have not yet been able to find a similar Basket Hook that is published to determine the exact area/culture that made the superb sculpture.

In the form of an anthropomorphic bird man that represents a category of powerful ancestral beings called waken. The Basket hook can be read either orientation up or down. For practical use of the hooks are to hang bilum bags from. Basket Hooks had an important practical function, to keep food safe from rodents, when the basket hook is hung from the ceiling by a single string or rope no rodent can climb down that single rope to get to the net bags containing the family food that is hung from the basket hooks. Basket Hooks can be some of the most beautiful artworks made in the Sepik River area. You will see several more of these artworks on my website.

Sometimes small Basket Hooks like this example were used for hanging a man’s magical bag that contained betel nuts and amulets and botanicals used for magic. This small Basket Hook was probably used for that purpose. The hole where it is hung from looks very much like female genitals which is a ” warning sign not to touch ”

Dating from the late 19th – early 20th Century. On a fine custom-made display stand that makes it appear to be floating in air, it can then be displayed on a table or shelf where you can see both sides of the very rare and interesting sculpture.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art

INQUIRE HERE

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

A Superb Old New Guinea Neckrest or Headrest Coastal Sepik River Area Papua New Guinea

A Superb Old New Guinea Neckrest or Headrest from the Coastal Sepik River Area Papua New Guinea

This beautifully carved old Headrest / Neckrest was made by a master carver from the Coastal Sepik River area in the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea.

This fine sculpture is comprised of stylized Birdnan Ancestor Figures shown on all sides of the Neckrest. Sepik River artists are renowned for energic creativity from their monumental Ceremonial Houses, Ancestor & Spirit Figures, and Masks to the smallest everyday objects that are beautifully carved and decorated.

Some Neckrests, used by elders, served as marks of secular and religious authority, they are often adorned with images of spirits, ancestors, or other supernatural beings, and some also had magical properties.

The headrest is imbued with an especially significant spirituality because of its association with the mystical aura of sleep. Sleep was recognized as the most intimate relationship with the spirit realm, therefore the decoration on headrests was especially intertwined with their spiritual beliefs. Furthermore, the human head is associated with concepts of power, therefore anything that was created to support the head or this power was subsequently revered.

Sleeping on a Headrest with ancestors and clan totems protects the person when sleeping from malevolent spirits and dreams. Also, the more practical aspect is in many places in New Guinea men had elaborate hairstyles that they spent time and effort to keep looking their best, The headrest helps protect their hairstyles while sleeping.

Provenance: Collected by Morris Young in Papua New Guinea more than 50 years ago.

The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art

I was honoured by being in the prestigious Louvre Museum Magazine for the collections I made for The Museum of African & Oceanic Art Paris in 1996 (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

INQUIRE HERE

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.

Superb Pair of New Guinea Sago Pegs Abelam People Prince Alexander Mountains East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

A Superb Pair of Abelam Sago Washing Pegs (for processing sago palm into flour) Abelam People Prince Alexander Mountain Area in the East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

This fine old pair of Sago Washing Pegs are tools used for processing Sago Palm into Sago Starch Flour for the Abelam People. Sago Pegs were used like Clothes Pin to hold a section of coconut fiber at the end of a trough to act as a sieve to drain away the starch from the interior pounded Sago Palm.

The tops of these Sago Pegs are beautifully carved and ochre painted in the form of an Ancestor’s Head surmounted by a Totemic Bird, this is a visual reminder of the presence of their ancestors in day-to-day activities. Some carvers were famous for their utilitarian carvings like these Sago Pegs and they were highly sought by family members and clan members. They are the finest pair I have ever had in 35 years.

Sago is the main staple food for many people living in Papua New Guinea and West Papua- Irian Jaya. The whole family or extended family would have to go out to make sago flour every 2 weeks or so. First, the people usually have to travel some distance to where there are still many Sago Trees belonging to their clan to cut down and process, they cut a small to medium size tree and then split it down the middle to access the pith inside the tree. This pith is then washed through a sieve and the Sago Peg holds the top of the sieve like a clothes peg. When the sago is washed thru this process it coagulates at the bottom of the sieve where when settles it can be cut into blocks and carried back to the village in homemade backpacks. This will feed a family for 2 weeks or so. Though the Abelam are famous gardeners of ceremonial Yams they also live on Sago. I have accompanied families to make sago a number of times and it is hard work !

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea and Oceanic Art

I was honoured by being in the prestigious Louvre Museum Magazine for the collections I made for The Museum of African & Oceanic Art Paris in 1996 (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

Archives: Art For Sale

A Superb Old Vanuatu Slit Gong Drum Ambrym Island in Vanuatu

A Superb Old New Guinea Slit Gong Drum Lower Sepik River East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

Superb Old New Guinea Sago Stirrer Huon Gulf Area Morobe Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Talipun Bride Price Yangoru Area East Sepik Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Talipun Bride Price Yangoru Area East Sepik Papua New Guinea

A Superb Old New Guinea Pigment Dish Sepik River Area East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

A Superb New Guinea Ceremonial Bark Belt Papuan Gulf Area New Guinea

INQUIRE HERE

A Fine Old New Guinea Basket Hook Figure Sepik River Area Papua New Guinea

A Superb Old New Guinea Neckrest or Headrest Coastal Sepik River Area Papua New Guinea

INQUIRE HERE

Superb Pair of New Guinea Sago Pegs Abelam People Prince Alexander Mountains East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

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