Lot 349

Papua New Guinea Sulka Rei | Woven Fiber Dance Wands (pr)

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Papua New Guinea Sulka Rei | Woven Fiber Dance Wands (pr)

Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500

Starting Bid: $500

(0 Bids)

June 12, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
Louisville, CO, US

Description:

New Britain, late 19th - early 20th century. Very long and arrow-shaped ceremonial objects, constructed around a paper thin plank core and intricately woven with reeds, bamboo, and fiber bindings. One example is vividly painted and surmounted by a bird, rendered in a striking palette of red, yellow, turquoise, black, and cream. Exceptionally delicate in construction, these wands were traditionally intended for ephemeral, single-use ceremonial performances and subsequently left to disintegrate, making surviving examples notably rare. See a similar example in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, object no. 1979.206.1684. Size: 85.5”L (217.2cm) and 84”L (213.4cm).

Provenance: NYC. collection, ex. Edward H. Merrin Gallery, NYC., 1960’s.

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Item # 71367

  • Condition: Crack along center plank. The other features a reptilian form along its pointed finial; paint quite faded. Both exhibit losses and fraying along the edges.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $749 $25
$750 $1,499 $50
$1,500 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $7,499 $250
$7,500 $14,999 $500
$15,000 + $1,000