**Originally Listed At $300**

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Middle Sepik River, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. A nice example of a hand-carved wooden trophy hook, also known as a suspension hook. The piece has an elongated oval form, with a broad loop through its top, pear-shaped section; below that is a headdress and anthropomorphic face with raffia decorations through its nose and ears and deeply inlaid, spiral-shaped eyes; below that is a crocodilian face that serves as the hook, with two barbed projections from its neck. The animal also has raffia through its nose. The entire front-facing surface is carved with swirling and largely symmetrical incised patterns (while the back is undecorated). A hook like this one was made to be suspended from the rafters of a building by a cord, used to safeguard food and other items by keeping them out of the reach of vermin. Size: 6" W x 35.7" H (15.2 cm x 90.7 cm)

Provenance: ex-private Tucson, Arizona, USA collection; ex-Ron Perry collection; Ron Perry collected art and artifacts for more than 40 years in New Guinea and the South Pacific. He collaborated with Carolyn Leigh to write a book entitled, "Art Dealer in the Last Unknown: Ron Perry & New Guinea Art: the early years 1964-1972" (2011)

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#129998

Signs of wear commensurate with age, but overall in excellent condition.