Description:

**Originally Listed At $300**

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A fine wood and rattan adze chopping tool with a stone blade for shaping and carving wood. The wooden handle is a slightly curved branch with a naturally forked T-shaped head at the top, perfect for attaching the blade. The stone fits into a slot on wooden tip and is bound in place with the rattan wrapping. 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 a symbol of both rank and status. Size: 21" L x 11" W (53.3 cm x 27.9 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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#141574

  • Condition: Stable fissures that run the length of the handle. Abrasion and chips to the stone blade. Nice patina to the handle and rattan.

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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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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 + $500