**Originally Listed At $350**

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. A beautiful wooden adze handle, with a hand carved geometric and abstract anthropomorphic motif. The pommel end is carved as a bird or crocodile opening its mouth, and above are interlocking spirals etched into the wood which are repeated below the T shaped head. On one side is a stylized face with a hooked nose and slanted eyes under thick brows. A conical finial projects from the butt end, and the hafting head is incised with curvilinear shapes. The flat hafting slot on the arm once contained a stone blade which would have been fastened with twisted lashings formed from coconut sennet fibers. This is a lovely and very intricate piece for a usually simple utilitarian tool, and this adze may have served a ceremonial purpose. Size: 1.625" W x 21.375" H (4.1 cm x 54.3 cm); 23.1" H (58.7 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection, before 2000

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#142689

Missing stone blade and blade bindings as shown. Small nicks to head, blade housing, and handle, with a few stable hairline fissures, and minor softening to some incised details, otherwise intact and very good. Nice patina throughout. Old inventory label on side of handle.