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THBFine Maori Nephrite Jade Mere Pounamu Hand Club
Lot 18
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:
$4,000 - $8,000
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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 culture, ca. 20th century CE. A carved nephrite jade mere pounamu, traditionally used by Maori as a hand weapon and a ceremonial symbol of authority. This example is distinguished by a rich, deep green hue with swirling tonal variations and a subtly mottled surface that displays beautiful translucency along the edges when held to light. The teardrop-shaped blade is finely polished and culminates in a pierced knobbed grip, horizontally grooved for secure handling and decorative balance. The perforation through the upper ridge allows for suspension or attachment. A striking and elegant piece of taonga (treasure), embodying both cultural significance and sculptural refinement. Size: 8.25" L x 2.75" W (21 cm x 7 cm)
One of the primary close-combat weapons wielded by Maori warriors was the patu - a hand-held club with a broad, teardrop-shaped form designed to deliver sharp thrusts or slicing strikes. Beyond its practical use in battle, the patu also served as a symbol of status and strength, often secured to the wrist by a cord or tucked into a belt when not in active use. The most highly esteemed variants, known as mere pounamu, were crafted from greenstone (pounamu), a valued form of nephrite jade. These were meticulously shaped and polished over time, reserved for high-ranking individuals and often passed down across generations as treasured heirlooms. Like other important taonga, these clubs were sometimes given unique names and revered as marks of distinction in both peace and warfare. Such was their cultural and spiritual significance that some chiefs, upon being defeated in combat, were said to have offered their mere to their captors and requested to be executed with them rather than by lesser weapons.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA; gift of Patricia M. Newman in 2022.
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.
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#196069Choice. Intact and superb condition with a high polish and gorgeous coloration.Condition
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