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A Fine Old New Guinea Spear Finial Abelam People East Sepik Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Spear Finial Abelam People East Sepik Papua New Guinea

This beautiful old spear is from the Abelam People in the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea. Likely cut down from a 400cm spear to its present height of 83cm. The upper part is carved with two ancestor figures one on each side, their arms and legs done in a stylized manner that is the ingenuity of the Abelam artist who made this spear. The spear has an old black patina overall and with remnants of white ochre . The spear is dating from the late 19th to the early 20th Century.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art 

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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.

A Fine Old New Guinea Headrest East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Headrest East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

See more Fine Neckrest / Headrest in Neckrest Gallery

This old and well-used Headrest (neck rest) is from the Sepik Plains area in the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea. Finely carved at both ends with a stylized crocodile head.  Crocodiles play a central role in the art and culture of the Sepik River people. According to one of the Iatmul people’s Middle Sepik creation mythology, an ancestral crocodile was responsible for forming the land. In the beginning, the earth was covered by a primordial ocean, into whose depths the crocodile dived. Reaching the bottom, it brought up on its back a load of mud, which became an island when it surfaced. From that island, the land grew and hardened, but it continues to rest on the back of the ancestral crocodile, which occasionally moves, causing earthquakes.  Even today initiated Sepik Men have body scarification’s on their back, and chest shoulders to resemble crocodiles.

The horizontally carved part of this headrest is made from a single piece of hardwood & the legs of the headrest are made from strong bamboo.

Provenance; The John and Marcia Friede Collection NY: now his collection known as The JOLIKA Collection is now mostly in the De Young Fine Art Museum in San Francisco California. 

The Todd Barlin Collection of Papua 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 Fine Old New Guinea Ancestor Figure Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Ancestor Figure Ramu River Area Madang Province Papua New Guinea

This finely carved older used male Ancestor Figure is from the lower Sepik River area of Papua New Guinea. In the form of an anthropomorphic bird man that represents a category of powerful ancestral beings called waken.  Small amulet figures like these were kept by men in small woven bags  They were used for magical purposes such as; love magic, controlling the weather, hunting for wild pigs & cassowaries, to protect the owner and his family from malevolent sorcerers & the spirit world.  This figure dates from the 1940-1950s

Provenance:  The Late Leo Fortess Collection (1918 – 2002) was well known for collector of Pacific Islands art and artifacts. Over 50 years of collecting Fortess made an important collection of Pacific Art & Artefacts part of which was donated to public institutions.   

The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic & New Guinea Art

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 Ancestor Figure Asmat People West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia

A Fine Old New Guinea Ancestor Figure Asmat People West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia

This old and used ancestor figure or kawe is from the Coastal Asmat area on the South Coast of West Papua (Irian Jaya) Indonesia.  The female figure is poised as if walking one leg slightly forward, the arm loosely held at her sides. Made from a softwood (mangrove tree) as all older Asmat figures should be, it also has no base or way to stand independently this is because old figures were tied on the walls inside the Men’s Ceremonial House or Jeu.  This figure has an old patina from handling

The main Asmat creation myth is about the creator Fumeripitjs who was lonely so he carved figures from wood and then he made a drum, when he played the drum the carved wood figures came to life and that is how the first Asmat people were created.  For the Asmat the connection between trees and people is profound.

Provenance: Ex-Catholic Mission Merauke, South Coast West Papua. The priests and brothers at the Catholic Mission in Merauke had carvings like this figure that were collected over 50 years of their staff working in many remote areas of the Asmat. 

The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic Art

Many of the artworks that I field collected in the Asmat & Mimika are now in important Museum collections around the world like the Musee du Quai Branly in Paris France. When you walk into the Oceanic Art pavilion the first thing you see are the monumental Ancestor Poles from the Asmat & Mimika Cultures along with Shields & Dance Costumes, all of which I field collected.  These artworks were in a superb exhibition in 1996 The Asmat et Mimika at the National Museum of African and Oceanic Art in Paris ( now part of the Musee du Quai Branly ) and published in the prestigious Louvre Museum Magazine in the same year 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 Canoe Ornament Geelvink Bay Area West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia

A Fine Old New Guinea Canoe Ornament Geelvink Bay Area West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia

This very fine old Canoe Prow Ornament is from the Geelvink Bay area on the North Coast of West Papua, Indonesia. This ornament is only part of a complex decoration that was placed at the front of the canoe. When I field collected this canoe ornament 35 years ago it was being kept by a family as an heirloom carving from their Grandfather. They said it was off a large type of ocean-going canoe that is no longer made due to the use of aluminum boats that don’t take months of time for a community to build as was done with canoes in earlier generations. The village in the field photo in this listing is from the same village as this canoe and I have named the family it belonged to. Dating from the early 20th century. The fine open work carving shows the great skill of the carver & towards the back you can see a stylized ancestor or Kowar Figure  This Northwest part of the island of New Guinea had plenty of trade links with SE Asia, especially with the Moluccu Islands in Eastern Indonesia where people came to trade for Bird of Paradise feathers.

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

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

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.

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 Canoe Ornament Sissano Lagoon North Coast Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Canoe Ornament Sissano Lagoon North Coast Papua New Guinea

This beautiful old canoe prow ornament is from the Sissano Lagoon area on the North Coast West of Aitape in the Sandaun Province of Papua New Guinea.  These were used on every fishing canoe as a type of magical protection from all bad weather and to catch bountiful fish. In the form of stylized fish & birds totemic animals associated with specific clans, each clan had its own style of canoe prow so you could always identify the owner of the canoe by their canoe prow ornament.  Dating from the early 20th Century

In her book ‘Canoes of Walomo’ Hermione Frankel describes the bird as a Friar Bird, a noisy and inquisitive land bird that is recognized by the local people as a messenger for the ancestors, giving warning of danger and watching over the canoe. The bird’s head and crop are always carved above stylized and entwined fish including tiger and hammerhead sharks, dolphins, and the tiny fish that follows fishing canoes

Provenance: The Eric Rowlinson Collection (1939 – Rowlinson was the former director of The National Gallery of Victoria 1975- 1980.  He was a keen collector of Oceanic Art and the author of  ”  Art of Oceania: a rationale for Collecting /​ by Eric B. Rowlison 1980 “

The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic 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 Fine Old New Guinea Canoe Ornament Sissano Lagoon Sandaun Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Canoe Ornament Sissano Lagoon Sandaun Province North Coast of Papua New Guinea

This beautiful old canoe prow ornament is from the Sissano Lagoon area on the North Coast West of Aitape in the Sandaun Province of Papua New Guinea.  These were used on every fishing canoe as a type of magical protection from all bad weather and to catch bountiful fish. In the form of stylized fish & birds totemic animals associated with specific clans, each clan had its own style of canoe prow so you could always identify the owner of the canoe by their canoe prow ornament.  Dating from the early 20th Century

In her book ‘Canoes of Walomo’ Hermione Frankel describes the bird as a Friar Bird, a noisy and inquisitive land bird that is recognized by the local people as a messenger for the ancestors, giving warning of danger and watching over the canoe. The bird’s head and crop are always carved above stylized and entwined fish including tiger and hammerhead sharks, dolphins, and the tiny fish that follows fishing canoes

Provenance: The Eric Rowlinson Collection (1939 – Rowlinson was the former director of The National Gallery of Victoria 1975- 1980.  He was a keen collector of Oceanic Art and the author of “Art of Oceania: A Rationale for Collecting /​ by Eric B. Rowlison 1980 “

The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic 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 Fine Old New Guinea Abelam Yam Mask Prince Alexander Mountains East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Abelam Woven Yam Mask from the Abelam People in the Prince Alexander Mountains Area of the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea

These finely woven & ochre-painted Masks were used in Yam Harvest ceremonies that are at the heart of the Abelam Culture. They are used solely to decorate large ceremonial Yams.

Lavishly adorned for the presentation ceremony, the finest long yams are essentially transformed into human images, decorated in the manner of men in full ceremonial regalia. The “heads” of the enormous tubers are adorned with specially made yam masks such as this one, which is made exclusively for yams and is never worn by humans.

One of the major focuses of ceremonial life among the Abelam people of northeast New Guinea is the competitive growth and exchange of long yams. The Abelam cultivate two distinct categories of yams—a small variety used as ordinary food and long yams, massive tubers that can be as much as twelve feet long. A man’s social status is determined largely by his success in growing long yams.

Each man has a permanent exchange partner to whom he ceremonially presents his largest yams following the annual harvest, later receiving those of his rival in return. Men who are consistently able to give their partners longer yams than they receive gain great prestige.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic Art

Published and Exhibited “Oceanic Arts Pacifica at Casula Power House Art Centre 2014 p.33 on the wall.

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

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

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

 

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 Abelam Yam Mask Prince Alexander Mountains East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Abelam Woven Yam Mask from the Abelam People in the Prince Alexander Mountains Area of the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea

This finely woven & ochre-painted Mask was used in Yam Harvest ceremonies that are at the heart of the Abelam Culture. They are used solely to decorate large ceremonial Yams.

Lavishly adorned for the presentation ceremony, the finest long yams are essentially transformed into human images, decorated in the manner of men in full ceremonial regalia. The “heads” of the enormous tubers are adorned with specially made yam masks such as this one, which is made exclusively for yams and is never worn by humans.

One of the major focuses of ceremonial life among the Abelam people of northeast New Guinea is the competitive growth and exchange of long yams. The Abelam cultivate two distinct categories of yams—a small variety used as ordinary food and long yams, massive tubers that can be as much as twelve feet long. A man’s social status is determined largely by his success in growing long yams.

Each man has a permanent exchange partner to whom he ceremonially presents his largest yams following the annual harvest, later receiving those of his rival in return. Men who are consistently able to give their partners longer yams than they receive gain great prestige.

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 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.

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 Bowl Lake Sentani Area North West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia

A Fine Old New Guinea Bowl Lake Sentani Area North West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia

This fine old and well-used bowl is from the Lake Sentani area on the NW Coast of West Papua Irian Jaya Indonesia.

The bowl of oval form is slightly convex on the outside with a lug at the top for tying on the wall when not in use. The design on the outside is an elegant stylised fish with a chiefly design called fou.  

This old bowl I field collected at the village of Bobrongko Village on Lake Sentani in 1985, in 1985 -1986 I spent several months visiting every village on Lake Sentani and other mainland villages close by. The people in the villages were always very kind, warm & generous during my visits and to my great surprise & delight people in the villages still had & used old wood bowls. I bought many fine 19th Century – Early 20th-century bowls at this time, this being one of them.

Lake Sentani art is very unique on the Island of New Guinea, their art was calm & serene, and beautiful without the often-aggressive look common to the Sepik or Asmat areas.  I saw similarities between the styles of Lake Sentani and the Massim Cultures of Milne Bay Province in Papua New Guinea.

Lake Sentani has had a very long history of trading with people from SE Asia who came looking for Bird of Paradise feathers, these trade links were so old that there were Dongson era bronze age artifacts in archaeological sites & still in use in villages like ancient glass ornaments, bangles & beads & ancient bronze kettle drums and ceramics.

In the months I spent staying in villages in Lake Sentani I made collections of everyday objects like bowls, paddles, and utensils (some other Lake Sentani objects will be listed on my website).  I still have a small collection of old Lake Sentani Plates that were gifted to my mother and came back to me after she passed away.

This old bowl dates from the late 19th to early 20th century.

In Australia at The National Gallery of Australia, we have one of the most significant Lake Sentani figures in their collection a double ancestor figure that once belonged to the famous British American Artist Sir Jacob Epstein. This superb figure is always a great pleasure to look at.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art

Excellent References:

Art of Northwest New Guinea by Suzanne Greub 1992

Ancestors of the Lake: Art of Lake Sentani & Humboldt Bay New Guinea 1991 Edited by Virginia- Lee Webb

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.

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