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

Three Fine 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

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 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.