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THBHumboldt Bay Warapu Canoe Prow - Friar Bird & Fish
Lot 11a
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:
$1,500 - $2,500
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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, Melanesia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, Humboldt Bay, Warapu Peoples, ca. 1900 CE. A masterfully carved wooden canoe prow, or munkuri, in the form of the revered friar bird (leatherhead), regarded by the Warapu people as a messenger from the ancestors and a guardian of fishermen. The bird's long, slender beak is dramatically pointed upward and surmounted by a carved lizard - an additional protective and symbolic figure in local tradition. The bird's breast and wing are ingeniously shaped from two stylized fish, their heads turned outward in opposite directions, symbolic of abundance and success in fishing. The lower body is adorned with an abstract, flowing motif, possibly representing another bird in stylized form. Carved from a single piece of wood with openwork and incised details, the munkuri retains a rich, weathered surface from traditional maritime use. Size: 16.5" L x 3.2" W x 16" H (41.9 cm x 8.1 cm x 40.6 cm); 18.9" H (48 cm) on included custom stand.
These prows were affixed to the bow of canoes not only for ornamentation but as potent spiritual emblems, intended to safeguard the crew and ensure a prosperous voyage. The interplay of bird, lizard, and fish motifs demonstrates the Warapu carvers' ability to weave protective totems into the visual language of Humboldt Bay's seafaring culture.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, acquired in 2002; ex-Ron Perry
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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#196397Chipping with some losses to projecting elements. Weathering to surface with nicks and abrasions commensurate with age, but, otherwise, nice presentation with rich patina.Condition
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