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THB19th C. Maori Tokotoko Staff w/ Nacre Shell Inlays
Lot 20
About Seller
Artemis Fine Arts
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$2,500 - $4,500
Starting Bid
$1,200
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| Price | Bid Increment |
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| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Fine Arts
Aug 22, 2025
Set Reminder
2025-08-22 10:00:00
2025-08-22 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa Fe, NM
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/indigenous-art---ralph-t-coe-center-santa-fe-nm-20324
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
View Full Catalog (452)
- Lot Description
Oceania, New Zealand, Maori, ca. 19th century CE. A carved ceremonial tokotoko (walking staff), hewn from rich native hardwood, its surface worn to a warm patina through handling and age. This sculptural staff served not as a mere aid to walking, but as a potent symbol of speech, authority, and genealogy on the marae (meeting ground), traditionally held by elders and orators as they addressed the assembled. The handle curves in the form of a stylized zoomorphic head, its features intricately rendered, suggesting a guardian spirit or ancestral presence. Just beneath it rises a vertical carved band with a skillfully executed anthropomorphic figure on one side, arms bent, knees flexed in a posture of alert engagement, and an openwork lizard on the other. The figure's face is inlaid with paua (abalone shell) eyes, radiating a watchful mana. Delicate surface detailing evokes traditional ta moko tattoo patterns, emphasizing the figure's authority and lineage. Size: 2.7" W x 35.8" H (6.9 cm x 90.9 cm)
Lower on the shaft, another carved head emerges midsection - zoomorphic in style, with two shell-inlaid eyes and spiral patterns framing the contours, possibly representing a taniwha (supernatural being) or protective ancestor. Tokotoko such as this are deeply tied to the Maori oral tradition. In modern times, they are ceremonially presented to recipients of the New Zealand Poet Laureate award, signifying the enduring connection between speech, art, and authority. A finely preserved example of 19th-century carving, this staff bridges ancestral presence and performative power.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, purchased when traveling in London, UK with Tad Dale in 1995, at Bermondsey Market from James Singer, an American dealer leaving in England; ex-Castle Antiques, Essex, UK
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
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#195983A few small areas of old paint to shaft and light surface wear to wood, but, otherwise, intact and excellent with good detail and nice patina throughout.Condition
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