Menu
EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBPapua New Guinea Wood & Cloth Korwar Amulet
Lot 15b
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
Categories
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$600 - $900
Starting Bid
$300
Absentee vs Live bid
Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $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, Melanesia, West Papua New Guinea, Geelvink Bay, possibly Biak Island, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A finely carved wooden korwar amulet from Geelvink Bay, Papua New Guinea, wrapped in a weathered strip of red cloth and mounted on a slender staff-like handle. The upper section features a stylized anthropomorphic figure, its elongated head, angular facial planes, and pierced openwork body displaying the region's distinctive carving style. Korwar figures serve as conduits between the living and the spirits of the dead. While not embodying the ancestor directly, they represent him in full symbolic form, acting as oracles when consulted with carefully phrased questions requiring simple affirmative or negative answers. Such amulets are deeply rooted in the belief that ancestors possess both the power and the willingness to protect their descendants. Size: 1.8" W x 13.3" H (4.6 cm x 33.8 cm); 13.7" H (34.8 cm) on included custom stand.
This portable staff amulet reflects an important cosmological principle. The vertical shaft represents the axis mundi - the central pole connecting heaven and earth - placing the wearer symbolically at the center of their world under the guardianship of benevolent ancestral forces. Worn or carried, it was both a spiritual safeguard and a statement of connection to lineage, tradition, and cosmic order.
Exhibited: May 13, 2022 to July 9, 2022. "< NO_RECORDS >" at the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts as part of the 2022 Hands-On Curatorial Program.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, purchased in April 2004; ex-Taylor Dale Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#196452Some stable fissures to wood with light surface wear and some fraying to fabric, but, otherwise, intact and excellent with good detail. Light patina in areas.Condition
- Shipping Info
-
All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Fine Arts will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please ask before bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
-
- Buyer's Premium
