Description:

North Pacific, Hawaiian Islands, Pre-Contact Period, ca. 18th century CE or earlier. A hand-carved stone lamp used for burning oil extracted from the kukui nut, which translates to "candle nut." The conical vessel features a relatively flat and stable base, walls that gradually expand to form the thick rim, and a shallow basin in the center. Light was produced from this lamp by filling the interior with kukui nut oil, igniting one end of a tapa-bark wick, and placing the unlit end inside the oil; the amount of light generated depended on the number of wicks used. Size: 4.1" W x 2.75" H (10.4 cm x 7 cm); 4.25" H (10.8 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA 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.

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PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#160905

  • Condition: One stable fissure stemming from rim and down one side of wall, with nicks and abrasions to body commensurate with age, char marks within basin commensurate with use, and scattered areas of iron oxidation, otherwise intact and very good. Great preservation to overall form.

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February 10, 2022 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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