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THBEarly 19th C. Cook Islands Mangaia Wood & Stone Adze
Lot 27
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 |
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| $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, Polynesia, Cook Islands, Mangaia, ca. 18th to 19th century CE. A superb ceremonial adze featuring a lashed triangular stone blade bound tightly with plaited sennit to a long wooden shaft. The shaft is deeply and uniformly carved with a repeating pattern, terminating in a dense, tiered knop of geometric palmettes. These elaborately constructed adzes were made by ta'unga (adze making specialists) for ritual contexts and were considered highly prestigious objects. The intricate carving and balance of materials - stone, wood, and fiber - demonstrate the artistic refinement and symbolic importance of such tools prior to missionary influence in the region. Size: 14" L x 2" W x 30.75" H (35.6 cm x 5.1 cm x 78.1 cm); 32.5" H (82.6 cm) on included custom stand.
Adzes from Mangaia in the Southern Cook Islands stand apart from others in the Pacific due to their ornate craftsmanship and distinctive design features. Larger, more elaborately carved versions - such as this example - served ceremonial purposes. Hallmarks of these adzes include highly polished stone blades, meticulous lashing in a triple-triangle pattern, and intricately carved shafts. These objects held deep cultural value as symbols of status and wealth. Skilled adze makers, known as ta'unga, held important positions within society, often compensated with food, cloth, or even protection in exchange for their craft.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA; Purchased from Mauna Kea Galleries, Hawaii, USA in the 1980s; from an old New England collection.
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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#195972Choice. Old chips at tip of blade. Portions of fiber at top missing or broken. Nice patina to wood. Overall excellent piece with incredible details and preservation.Condition
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