Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Timor Island, Tetum, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A lovely spoon, skillfully carved from the horn of a buffalo to present a shallow, ovoid bowl and an elaborate stem or handle, intricately sculpted with beautiful, openwork decoration. Rising upward from the curved bowl, the impressive handle boasts several projecting shapes and openwork designs with 4 birds protruding at the shoulder and 6 stacked in 2 rows of 3 at the top. A rich, chocolate brown patina envelops the entirety of this fascinating example! Size: 7.5" L x 2.4" W (19 cm x 6.1 cm); 7.6" H (19.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Ritual spoons like this example are typically carved by Timorese men. According to the Dallas Museum of Art, "The splendidly decorated ritual spoons were found over a much larger area than West Timor. The most impressive specimens, often adorned with beautiful openwork carving, are probably those of the Tetun in Central Timor. An interesting feature of their decoration is the frequent use of human figures, as well as the bird motif. Both subjects are sometimes rendered in high relief, and in some rare cases the human figures are even partially three-dimensional. These human shapes probably had a meaning comparable to that of the birds, signifying that the deceased had said his farewells to the community and was now a part of the realm of the ancestors."

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired from 1995 to 2010; ex-Ami Brown collection, New York, USA, acquired from 1950 to 1970

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#168447

Repaired from a few large pieces with break lines visible in some areas. Stable fissure to bowl and nicks to periphery of bowl. Otherwise, very nice with rich patina and impressively preserved detail.