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THBCaroline Islands Wood Dance Paddle - Ponape Origin
Lot 25
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:
$1,200 - $2,500
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| $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, Caroline Islands, Micronesia, Ponape (Pohnpei), ca. late 19th to early 20th Century CE. A striking carved wood dance paddle from the Caroline Islands, specifically the island of Ponape (modern-day Pohnpei), bearing the rhythmic elegance of ceremonial performance and the layered language of clan identity. Shaped from pale tropical hardwood, the paddle bears the angular, elongate form distinctive of Micronesian tradition, tapering to a sharp point and balanced by a slender, rectangular shaft. The blade is fully adorned with a series of deeply incised geometric motifs organized into vertical and diagonal registers. Repeating triangular patterns, chevrons, lattice grids, and X-marks create a dazzling optical rhythm, heightened by traces of white lime pigment embedded in the carving. One side bears an inscription - possibly a name or phrase - rendered in Roman letters that appears to read: "KENAN ENNATIK KXTATIC." Size: 37.8" L x 4.9" W (96 cm x 12.4 cm)
Though its meaning remains unclear, the presence of text suggests a moment of cultural exchange or personalization. Red fibers from trade cloth remain bound to the edges of the blade - vestiges of its life in ceremonial procession, perhaps tied as offerings or decorative accents.
Such paddles served not as oars but as performative instruments, carried and brandished in dances and rituals by men of rank. The complexity and individuality of each carving reflect both artistic virtuosity and familial symbolism, marking the owner's place within the web of island clans. Ponapean paddles like this one formed part of a broader Micronesian aesthetic language, emphasizing symmetry, contrast, and ancestral meaning in every line.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA; ex-Dauer: Mrs. A.H. Griswald
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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#195974Chipping to one corner of paddle head, as well as some nicks and abrasions throughout. Otherwise, intact and in very good condition with nice detail. Liberal remains of white pigment and trace remains of red fabric.Condition
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