Trobriand Islands Spatula, Massim area, Papua New Guinea
height 14in (35.6cm)
intricately carved with two classic squatting figures, one on top of the other, looking in opposite directions; fine dark-brown patina with Beasley Collection label.
Provenance:
London Missionary Society
Beasley Collection (LMS 2064)
Peter Adler, London
Harry Beran (HB 191)
Michael Hamson, California
Private Collection, Chicago
Published:
Hamson, Michael, "Art of the Massim and Collingwood Bay", 2009, fig. 13.
According to Hamson, "The early provenance of this piece coincides with an archaic feel to the figures - unusual for a culture that prides itself on finesse and refinement."
