Lot 348

Vanuatu War Club | Malekula Mushroom Head, Old French Label

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Vanuatu War Club | Malekula Mushroom Head, Old French Label

Estimate: $800 - $1,200

Starting Bid: $400

(0 Bids)

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

Description:

Melanesia, late 19th - early 20th century. Bearing its original French collector's label — "Casse-tête / Nouvelles-Hébrides / Malicolo" — this imposing war club from Malekula Island is a textbook example of the distinctive mushroom-head form for which the island's carvers are known. The head features four carved balls surmounted by a broad mushroom-shaped dome — the protruding nodules designed to concentrate blunt-force impact while the domed cap provided a secondary striking surface of formidable weight. Carved from a single piece of dense hardwood, likely casuarina, the long cylindrical shaft rises to the characteristic squared collar, each carved ball occupying a cardinal position, before resolving into the broad overhanging dome above. Size: 37.5”H (95.2cm).

Provenance: Ex. Michael Hamson, CA. Ex. private Wisconsin collection, old label attached.

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Item # 71607

  • Condition: One rib repaired, another partially lost, age cracks. Rich medium brown burnished patina.

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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