Oceania, Western Papua New Guinea, Lake Setani area, ca. 18th century CE. A beautiful pre-contact adze blade, hand-carved from a mottled gray stone with both light and dark inclusions. The adze presents a generally conical form, and a sharpened ovoid blade edge. Both faces are incredibly smooth to the touch resulting from a meticulous carving and burnishing technique. Blades like this would have been attached to the top of a lengthy wooden pole by winding thin reed bands around the shaft and the handle's attachment point. Intended to carve or smooth wooden items, adzes have been used for thousands of years by countless ancient cultures. Adze blades made from high-quality material like this example traditionally have also been given as special gifts. Size: 11.625" H (29.5 cm); 13.375" H (34 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#141634

Minute nicks to blade edge. Small loss to pointed end. Normal surface wear and a few stains from old collection labels. Otherwise excellent.