Description:

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Sepik River region, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A pair of ritualistic and prestige ornaments / necklaces woven from vegetal fibers and cotton cloth with boar tusks, dog teeth, shells, and seeds. The boar tusks are connected via woven cotton twine and attached beads made from seeds known as white job's tears. The necklace with the massive shell pectoral has rattan / braided cane cords wrapped in cotton cloth and canine teeth - the roots pierced and strung along the length. The shell has a plaited rattan loop with kina shells and a carved shell hoop. Both adornments denoted social rank, sanctity, and wealth of the people who wore them- both dog teeth and boar tusks were highly valued and used like currency. Size of shell: 6.75" L x 4" W (17.1 cm x 10.2 cm); teeth strand doubled: 20" L (50.8 cm)

Provenance: private Constance McCormick Fearing estate, Montecito, California, USA, acquired before 2004

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#181298

  • Condition: Chips and losses to dog teeth, but most are intact and very good. Large shell is intact and very good with light mineral deposits. Missing some kina shells, and fraying to cords. Stable crack and chips to boar tusks, some fraying to cotton cords otherwise intact.

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November 9, 2023 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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