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The Late Bill Evans Collection, Sydney
Lot 63
Maker UnknownAn under-arm shield, Elayaborr, Mendi, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea early 20th century height: 74.0cm
27 August 2025, 14:00 AEST
SydneySold for AU$2,706 inc. premium
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Alex Clark
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Merryn Schriever
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Maker Unknown, An under-arm shield, Elayaborr, Mendi, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea
early 20th century
wood and pigments
height: 74.0cm
wood and pigments
height: 74.0cm
Footnotes
PROVENANCE
Sotheby's, Sydney, 28 November 1989, lot 65
Collection of Warren Anderson
Collection of the Late Bill Evans, Sydney
LITERATURE
Bill Evans, War Art & Ritual: Shields from the Pacific, Vol. 2, Bill Evans, Sydney, 2019, p. 366, Shield 99 (illus.)
A similar example is held in the collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, which is accompanied by research which details:
'Prior to the arrival of Europeans, warfare between Mendi tribes and clans was endemic. The 'eláyaborr' shield, due to its small size and light weight, was commonly used in skirmishes and village raids, slung under the shoulder in battle to protect the torso and leaving both hands free for firing a bow and arrow. The U-shaped notch at the top allowed an archer to look through the gap to shoot.
This shield has a vine sling strung diagonally from the top left to lower right side (from the rear of the shield), knotted through two holes.'