Our catalogue > Tribal Art – Asia
The pieces shown here, all of which are for sale, have been carefully selected by us on account of their artistic merit, their patina and their provenance.
Each piece has been sourced from within the UK, often from old, colonial-era collections.
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Rare Naga Head Hunter’s Necklace with Four Severed Heads
Naga People, North-Eastern India 19th-early 20th century
length of brass pendant: 12.6cm, length of strand: approximately 57cm, weight: 181g
Provenance
Hansjorg Mayer Collection, UK
Large Naga Chank Shell & Trade Bead Necklace
Angami Naga People, North-Eastern India late 19th-early 20th century
length of strand: 111cm, length of chank shells: 15.5 and 16cm, weight: 1,251g
Provenance
Hansjorg Mayer Collection, UK
Isneg Mother-of-Pearl & Bead Chest Ornament (Sipatal)
Isneg People, Northern Luzon Island, Philippines early 20th century
length of glass bead strands: 30cm, length of mother-of-pearl shell components: approximately 21.5cm, weight: 159g
Provenance
private collection, London, UK
Rare Pair of Naga Beaded & Brass Ear Ornaments
Konyak Naga People, North-West India early 20th century
overall length: approximately 71cm, length of individual ear ornament: 18.5cm, width of individual ear ornament: 6.9cm, weight: 79g
Provenance
Hansjorg Mayer Collection, UK
Naga Head Hunter’s Severed Head Necklace
Naga People, North-Eastern India 19th-early 20th century
length of strand: approximately 50.4cm, length of pendant: 9.1cm, width of pendant: 6.8cm, weight: 161g
Provenance
Hansjorg Mayer Collection, UK
Unusual Naga Trade Glass Bead Multi-Strand Necklace
Naga People, North-Eastern India 1920s
circumference: 47cm, weight: 224g
Provenance
Hansjorg Mayer Collection, UK
Exceptional, Early Tanimbar Ancestor Figure
Tanimbar, Southeast Moluccas, Eastern Indonesia 18th century
height: 16.4cm, width: 5.4cm, depth: 4.5cm
Provenance
Private Collection, Northern England; acquired by the previous owners from an antiques fair, York, England, circa 1980
Balinese Carved Wooden Rice Sheaf Paddle (Panaptapan)
Bali or Lombok, Indonesia 19th century
length: 37.9cm, width: 8.3cm, weight: 285; height including stand: approximately 43cm
Provenance
Art market, France
Konyak Naga Trade Bead, Brass Bell & Shell Necklace
Konyak Naga People, North-West India & Western Burma early 20th century
Provenance
private collection, US
Unusually Large, Naga Trade Bead & Bone Belt or Girdle
Konyak Naga People, North-West India & Western Burma early 20th century and possibly earlier
length: 82cm, width: 13.5cm
Provenance
private collection, US
Unusually Large & Fine Pair of Yao Large Silver Ear Ornaments
Im Mien or Dao/Yao People, Laos/Northern Thailand/Southern China late 19th century-early 20th century
length: approximately 15.6cm, width: approximately 9.3cm, combined weight: 296g
Provenance
French art market
Rare Himalayan Brass Coil & Shell Pendant Necklace
Tibetan Peoples, Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, Himalayan India 19th century
length of pendant: 13.1cm, width of pendant: 5.1cm, circumference of chain: 70cm, weight: 119g
Provenance
private collection, Scotland
Unusual & Rare Naga Headhunter’s Trophy Head Necklace
Naga People, Burma/India 19th century
circumference: 58cm, length of brass pendant: 9.8cm, weight: 232g
Provenance
UK art market
Large & Superb Himalayan Shell Hair Ornament (Dunkertsa)
Tibetan Peoples, Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, Himalayan India and Ladakh 19th century
length: 7.9cm, width: 9.7cm, depth: approximately 4.5cm, weight: 104g
Provenance
private collection, Scotland
Himalayan Shell Pendant or Hair Ornament
Tibetan Peoples, Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, Himalayan India 19th century
length: 8.8cm, width: 7.8cm, depth: approximately 3.5cm, weight: 77g
Provenance
Private collection, Scotland
Silver Yao Celestial Headdress & Matched Pin
Kim Mun Lantien Sha of the Dao/Yao People, Laos/Northern Thailand/Southern China early 20th century
diameter of disc: 16.4cm, length of hair pin: 22.1cm, overall weight: 234g
Provenance
French art market
Naga Necklace with Dark-Blue Trade Beads
Naga People, Western Burma & North-eastern India early 20th century
circumference: approximately 66cm, weight: 287g
Provenance
private collection, US
Rare Naga Necklace with Turquoise-coloured Trade Beads
Naga People, Burma/India early 20th century
circumference: approximately 83cm, weight: 328g
Provenance
private collection, US
Naga Pair of Rock Crystal Ear Ornaments (Tongpang)
Naga People, Eastern India/Western Burma 19th century
width: 4.2cm, length: 3.7cm, thickness: approximately 1.3cm, combined weight: 81g
Provenance
UK art market
Pair of Dayak Solid Brass Pendant Ear Pendants
Kenyah/Kayan Dayak People, Borneo, Malaysia & Indonesia early 20th century
length: 6.6cm, width: 3cm, combined weight: 266g
Provenance
private Dutch collection
Dayak Carved Wooden Tiger Stopper
Dayak People, Borneo, Malaysia 19th century
height (with stand): 14.3cm, width: 5cm, weight (without stand): 100g
Provenance
Private collection, UK
Dayak Carved Wooden Humanoid Stopper
Dayak People, Borneo, Malaysia 19th century
height (with stand): 9.8cm, width: 5cm, weight (without stand): 32g
Provenance
Private collection, UK
Dayak Carved Wooden Demon Stopper
Dayak People, Borneo, Malaysia 19th century
height (with stand): 12.5cm, width: 5cm, weight (without stand): 61g
Provenance
Private collection, UK
Large Ifugao Carved Wooden Ritual Bowl (Duyu)
Ifugao People, Northern Luzon, Philippines 19th century
width: approximately 38cm, height: approximately 11cm, weight: 2,150g
Provenance
private European collection.
Unusual Sumatran Sword with Carved Wooden Ancestor Hilt
North Sumatra, Indonesia, probably Batak or Nias 18th century & possibly earlier
overall length: 66.5cm, length of wooden hilt: 11cm
Provenance
overall length: 66cm, weight: 457g
Maluku Gold-Alloy Pectoral or Forehead Ornament
South Maluku, (Moluccas), Eastern Indonesia 19th century
width of mask: 10.8cm, length of seedpod-like elements: approximately 5.2cm, weight: 28g
Provenance
Estate Collection of Tom White MBE; lot 222, 'Gold: Important ancient and ethnic jewellery and works of art in precious metal', Hapsburg, Feldman, Geneva, Switzerland, May 14, 1990.
Batak Funerary Wooden Puppet (Si Gale-gale) Head
Batak People, Lake Toba Region, North Sumatra, Indonesia circa 1930s
height (including stand): 27.5cm, width (of head): 11cm, weight: 748g
Provenance
UK art market
Assam Brass Waist Ornaments (Benyop)
Adi-Minyong people, Assam & Arunchal Pradesh, India 18th-19th century
length (of the largest piece): 11cm, width: 9.1cm, combined weight: 598g
Provenance
UK art market
Lombok House-Shaped Storage Box
Sasak People, Lombok, Nusa Tenggara, Eastern Indonesia. early 20th century
height: 67cm, width: 53.5cm, depth: 43.5cm, weight: 3,165g
Provenance
UK art market
Fine, Dayak Brass Helmet Ornament
Dayak People, Borneo, Malaysia/Indonesia 19th century
width: 10.6cm, height: approximately 17.5cm, weight: 93g
Provenance
UK art market
Naga Cowrie Shell Apron or Loin Cloth
Naga People, Burma (Myanmar) early 20th century
length: 69.2cm, width: 22.5cm, weight: 548g
Provenance
UK art market
Naga Blue Glass Bead & Brass Necklace
Konyak Naga People, Burma/India circa 1900
length of pendant: 14.5cm, width: 6.2cm, circumference: approximately 72cm
Provenance
private European collection
Pair of Naga Brass Bracelets
Naga People, North-Eastern India 19th century
internal diameter: approximately 6.8cm, combined weight: 549g
Provenance
private European collection
Andaman Islands Man’s Dance Regalia
Andaman Islands, possibly from the Jarawa Tribe, South Andaman circa 1900
indicative length of headdress (band & tassels): 49cm
Provenance
private collection, London. UK; previously, Charles Wilfred Hext (b.1880-1919)
Dayak Carved Wooden Stopper
Dayak People, Borneo, Malaysia 19th century
height (without stand): 10.8cm
Provenance
Private collection, UK
Konyak Naga Trade Bead Necklace
Konyak Naga People, North-West India & Western Burma early 20th century
length as worn: 35cm, approx. circumference: 70cm, weight: 168g
Provenance
UK art market
Dayak Wooden Hornbill Bird Stopper
Dayak People, Borneo, Malaysia 19th century
height without stand: 8.3cm, height with stand: 9.3cm
Provenance
Private collection, UK
Pair of Dayak Solid Brass Pendant Ear Ornaments
Kenyah/Kayan Dayak People, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia early 20th century
lengths: 7.3cm, combined weights: 396g
Provenance
private collection, UK
Naga Chank Shell Bead Necklace
Naga People, Eastern India/Western Burma 19th century
length: 60cm, weight: 216g
Provenance
private collection, London
Naga Warrior’s Brass Neck Torque
Naga People, Eastern India/Western Burma 18th-19th century
width: 16.5cm, weight: 135g
Provenance
private collection, London.
Pair of Borneo Man’s Solid Brass Spiral Ear Ornaments
Kenyah/Kayan Dayak People, Sarawak, Borneo 19th century
diameter: 2cm, combined weight: 72g
Provenance
Acquired in the UK, from the estate collection of Dr George Yuille Caldwell (1924-2016). Dr Caldwell, an English-born physician moved to Singapore in the 1950s, from where he built up a collection of mostly Borneo-related textiles and other ethnographica.
Batak Raja’s Large Brass Tobacco Pipe (Tulpang)
Batak, North Sumatra, Indonesia 19th century
length: 86cm
Provenance
UK art market
Ifugao Carved Wooden Ritual Bowl with Handle (Duyu)
Ifugao People, Northern Luzon, Philippines 19th century
length: 31cm, width: 20.5cm, height: 8cm
Provenance
private European collection.
Pair of Man’s Solid Brass Spiral Ear Ornaments
Kenyah/Kayan Dayak People, Sarawak, Borneo 19th century
diameter: 2.6cm, combined weight: 90g
Provenance
Acquired in the UK, from the estate collection of Dr George Yuille Caldwell (1924-2016). Dr Caldwell, an English-born physician moved to Singapore in the 1950s, from where he built up a collection of mostly Borneo-related textiles and other ethnographica.
Large Jorai Ironwood Ancestor Figure
Jorai People, Central Highlands, Vietnam 19th century
height: 114cm
Provenance
Benneton Collection, France
Batak Raja’s Brass Tobacco Pipe (Tulpang)
Toba Batak, North Sumatra, Indonesia 19th century
length: 76cm
Provenance
Christie's, The Trevor Barton Collection.
Ifugao Carved Wooden Ladle or Dipper
Kalanguya People, Southern Ifugao, Philippines early 20th century
length: 24.5cm
Provenance
Scottish art market
Rare Tai Shan Quilted, Woven & Embroidered Jacket
Shan, Chin or Related People, Eastern Burma, Northern Thailand or Laos 19th century
length: 74cm, width: 56cm
Provenance
private collection, London; art market, Paris.
Ifugao Carved Wooden Ritual Bowl with Handle (Duyu)
Ifugao People, Northern Luzon, Philippines 18th-19th century
length: 20.4cm, width: 13.5cm, height: 6.3cm
Provenance
private European collection.
Naga Bead & Bone Belt or Girdle
Naga People, India/Burma 19th century
length (approx): 67cm, width: 15.5cm, weight: 517g
Provenance
private collection, London.
Carved Shell, Glass & Wood Bead & Fossilised Palmwood (Pumtek) Necklace
Mizo People, Eastern India, or Naga People, Burma/India circa 1900
length: 80cm, weight: 100g
Provenance
private collection, London.
Dayak Man’s Ear Ornament (Sabau) of Carved Hornbill Casque (Beak)
Kenyah/Kayan Dayak People, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia 19th-early 20th century
height: 4.6cm, length: 10cm, width: 4.2cm, weight: 26.36g
Provenance
Acquired in the UK, from the estate collection of Dr George Yuille Caldwell (1924-2016). Dr Caldwell, an English-born physician moved to Singapore in the 1950s, from where he built up a collection of mostly Borneo-related textiles and other ethnographica.