Description:

**Originally Listed At $150**

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, ca. 19th century CE. A hand-made utilitarian tool known as an adze with a carved wooden handle bearing a T-shaped head. The upper neck and head are wrapped dozens of times with tan-hued rattan fibers that hold the handle end of a carved greenstone blade with an acutely angled edge. The handle is a caramel colored hardwood that has developed a nice smooth patina, from touch and heavy use. The adze was one of the most important tools among pre-contact New Guinea based on their unfamiliarity with forging metal. It was used for both utilitarian practices, such as carving canoes, as well as for ceremonial practices, and was seen as a symbol of both rank and status. Size: 20" L (50.8 cm)

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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#141576

  • Condition: Stable fissure that runs the length of the handle and a smaller fissure near the tip. Abrasion to the stone blade. Earthen encrustations and mineral deposits to the rattan fibers. Nice patina to the handle.

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Shipping

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December 29, 2025 10:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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