South Pacific, Solomon Sea (Trobriand Islands), 19th century CE. An excellent wood adze with a flat metal blade bound to its end. The handle is shaped like the head of a long-necked bird, with carvings as a crest at the top and at the bottom. The Trobriand Islands dangle off the southeastern tip of Papua New Guinea, a small archipelago of coral atolls populated by subsistence horticulturalists for whom yams are currency. The people of the Trobriand Islands and other nearby archipelagos have formed a trading network in which items like this adze are highly valued. These large, fine adzes, and specifically their blades, circulate around the archipelagos continually, given as gifts. Size: 15.25" L x 7" W (38.7 cm x 17.8 cm)

Provenance: Ex - B. Mussin collection, San Diego, CA acquired via descent.

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#116032

Nice smooth dark aged patina to the wood; very slight rust patina to the blade. Carvings very clear.