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THBPapua New Guinea Massim Wood Clapper Spatula for Lime
Lot 12a
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:
$1,000 - $1,800
Starting Bid
$500
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| $300 | $50 |
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| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
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| $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, Melanesia, Papua New Guinea, Milne Bay Province, Trobriand Islands, Massim culture, ca. 1920 CE. A marvelous Massim wood clapper spatula from the Trobriand Islands, decorated in relief and openwork with stylized zoomorphic motifs. Liberal remains of white pigment highlight the incised scrollwork, emphasizing the interplay of solid and void along the elongated handle. This example belongs to the "clapper type" spatula, an ingenious dual-purpose implement combining practical and musical functions. At one end, the spatula served in the preparation of betel nut - a mixture of areca nut, betel pepper leaf, and powdered lime derived from burnt coral or shell, widely chewed throughout Oceania in both social and ceremonial contexts. At the other end, the split, hollowed handle forms a resonating cavity that produces a sharp clapping sound when struck against the hand or body. Size: 13.2" L x 1.6" W (33.5 cm x 4.1 cm)
In Trobriand tradition, such clappers were not merely musical accompaniments for dance and song but, in certain contexts, instruments of authority. Chiefs employed them to announce their approach, while sorcerers used them in spells connected to canoe carving, warfare, and the summoning of wind at sea. The present example's detailed motifs, balanced proportions, and excellent preservation reflect the artistry of Massim woodcarvers, whose betel-related paraphernalia rank among the most refined works of Melanesian carving.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA; ex-Taylor Dale Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USE; ex-Australian 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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#196368Light surface wear as shown, but, otherwise, intact and excellent with liberal remains of fugitive pigment.Condition
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