Old Guinea Canoe Prow Element, Geelvink Bay, Indonesia Ex Museum Loka Budaya
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:5467 | Material: Wood |
| Color: Light Wood Tone | Original/Reproduction: Original |
This is a fine old carved-wood canoe prow element from Geelvink Bay, Western New Guinea, which is part of Indonesia. (Geelvink Bay is now known as Cenderawasih Bay.)
This piece was formerly in the private collection of N. Benotmane (France), 1999 to 2009. Prior to that, it was property of the Museum of Jayapura (now called the Museum Loka Budaya), 1982 to 1999. It was collected by Chen Hong, a Chinese merchant, sometime in the 1970's.
It is in very good cond...ition overall, featuring classic Geelvink Bay-style openwork carving with a Korwar head at the top and a very light trace of blueish-white trade paint in one section. There are holes for feathers on the Korwar but none were present when I bought this piece. One side of the Korwar face has eroded, but the other side is intact (clearly seen in one of the listing photos).
It measures approximately 23 1/2" (high) x 4" (wide) x 1" (deep). It comes on a custom-made stand. On the stand, the piece measures approximately 25" high.
See Art of Northwest New Guinea, Suzanne Greub, ed., Rizzoli New York, for the informative article "Art of Geelvink Bay" by Theodoor P. van Baaren. On page 44 he writes:
"Scuptural forms as used in the decoration of household utensils and weapons all follow the rules of the Korwar style. The same is true of the house and canoe decorations. The people of Geelvink Bay use a special type of prow ornament consisting of a thin plank carved with openwork decoration and provided with Korwar-style figures whose heads are decorated with cassowary feathers, cut short to suggest hair."
Several photos accompanying this article show this typical Geelvink Bay style.
This piece was formerly in the private collection of N. Benotmane (France), 1999 to 2009. Prior to that, it was property of the Museum of Jayapura (now called the Museum Loka Budaya), 1982 to 1999. It was collected by Chen Hong, a Chinese merchant, sometime in the 1970's.
It is in very good cond...ition overall, featuring classic Geelvink Bay-style openwork carving with a Korwar head at the top and a very light trace of blueish-white trade paint in one section. There are holes for feathers on the Korwar but none were present when I bought this piece. One side of the Korwar face has eroded, but the other side is intact (clearly seen in one of the listing photos).
It measures approximately 23 1/2" (high) x 4" (wide) x 1" (deep). It comes on a custom-made stand. On the stand, the piece measures approximately 25" high.
See Art of Northwest New Guinea, Suzanne Greub, ed., Rizzoli New York, for the informative article "Art of Geelvink Bay" by Theodoor P. van Baaren. On page 44 he writes:
"Scuptural forms as used in the decoration of household utensils and weapons all follow the rules of the Korwar style. The same is true of the house and canoe decorations. The people of Geelvink Bay use a special type of prow ornament consisting of a thin plank carved with openwork decoration and provided with Korwar-style figures whose heads are decorated with cassowary feathers, cut short to suggest hair."
Several photos accompanying this article show this typical Geelvink Bay style.
