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Lot 301
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19th C. Hawaiian Wood Food Pounder - Slender Form
19th C. Hawaiian Wood Food Pounder - Slender Form
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Description:

**First Time At Auction**

North Pacific, Hawaiian Islands, ca. late 19th to mid-20th century CE. A striking, hand-carved wood food pounder presenting an elongated form with a rounded pounding head and a slender body that tapers to a narrow neck and tab-shaped handle. An incised band of crisscross motifs adorns the lower body, while a rich, mocha-hued patina envelops the entirety of this fascinating piece. Pounders like this example were perhaps used for preparing poi. Size: 22.1" L x 1.3" W (56.1 cm x 3.3 cm)

Poi pounders, alongside adzes, were the most important stone tools in Polynesia and the Hawaiian Islands (Europeans introduced steel weapons). They are used for pounding cooked taro root into poi, a staple of the islander diet. Taro root was steamed in an earthen oven, peeled using shells, and placed onto a slab of wood to be pounded. The pounded results were blended with water into a highly nutritious paste. Traditional calabash bowls were used as containers to hold poi mixtures, and traveling royalty were accompanied by their own poi maker, with his or her own poi-making implements like this one.

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.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

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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.

#142579

  • Condition: Expected nicks, chips, scratches, abrasions, and some small areas of loss, all commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, very nice with great patina.

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December 29, 2021 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
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$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000