**Originally Listed At $350**

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Purari Delta region, mid 20th century CE. A hand-carved wooden tapa cloth beater with a knobbed tubular handle and a faceted body with five sections that are beautifully incised with curvilinear, geometric, and abstract figural motifs. The patterns include: two opposing running curvilinear incisions flanking a central line that together may represent a feather, leaf, or running water; a central nested diamond surrounded by opposing "V" or arrowhead motifs; repeated continuous hemispheric forms with a few "V" motifs; a running geometric meander; and finally, a row of stylized tool or weapon motifs. Tapa cloths are traditionally made by beating the inner bark of mulberry or similar trees until it is soft and pliable, and then painted using a palette of naturally-occurring pigments. A substantial and elegantly decorated tool used to create wonderful tapa cloths. Size: 2.25" W at widest point x 16" H (5.7 cm x 40.6 cm)

Tapa is a particular kind of bark cloth that is made in the South Pacific Islands. The cloth is of great social importance and is often given as a gift; however, prior to the introduction of synthetic fabrics, it was also used for everyday wear. The process for making it is complex and almost ritualistic. First, the paper mulberry tree is cut, the bark is stripped, and the inner bark retained and sun dried, then soaked. After this, the bark is beaten using a tool like this one. The sound of the tapa being beaten creates a rhythmic musical backdrop as the work is being done. The strips are then beaten together using plant starch to form a large sheet; the edges of this sheet are then trimmed using a knife or sharp shell. Finally, the tapa sheet is beautifully painted using stencils made from coconut.

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#142263

A few chips, divots, and abrasions to the handle as shown. Normal surface wear, slight surface losses, and abrasions to areas of the body of the beater, but the decorative motifs are still quite vivid. Overall, a very nice example.