Our catalogue > Tribal Art – Asia
‘Tribal’ art from Asia can be found on this page – including objects from the Naga people of Eastern India and Western Burma, the Dayak & Iban of Borneo, and the Bontoc & Ifugao of the Philippines.
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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Enquiry about object: 8991
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
Enquiry about object: 5767
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
Enquiry about object: 5770
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
Enquiry about object: 5766
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
Enquiry about object: 3906
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.
Enquiry about object: 8561
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
Enquiry about object: 7299
Maluku Gold 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.
Enquiry about object: 7058
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
Enquiry about object: 7195
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
Enquiry about object: 7063
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
Enquiry about object: 7207
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
Enquiry about object: 6773
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
Enquiry about object: 6797
Paduang or Kayan Lahwi (Long-Necked) Woman’s Brass Neck Rings & Anklets
Paduang or Kayan Lahwi People, Shan States, Eastern Burma 19th-early 20th century
height (of the longest neck ring): 13.2cm, width (of the wiodest neck ring): 18.3cm, width (of the arm rings): approximately 9cm, combined weight: 4,437g
Provenance
Private collection, UK; collected during colonial times.
Enquiry about object: 6602
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
Enquiry about object: 6779
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
Enquiry about object: 6783
Pair of Naga Brass Bracelets
Naga People, North-Eastern India 19th century
internal diameter: approximately 6.8cm, combined weight: 549g
Provenance
private European collection
Enquiry about object: 6521
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)
Enquiry about object: 5769
Dayak Carved Wooden Stopper
Dayak People, Borneo, Malaysia 19th century
height (without stand): 10.8cm
Provenance
Private collection, UK
Enquiry about object: 5284
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
Enquiry about object: 5768
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
Enquiry about object: 5937
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
Enquiry about object: 6247
Naga Chank Shell Bead Necklace
Naga People, Eastern India/Western Burma 19th century
length: 60cm, weight: 216g
Provenance
private collection, London
Enquiry about object: 6249
Naga Warrior’s Brass Neck Torque
Naga People, Eastern India/Western Burma 18th-19th century
width: 16.5cm, weight: 135g
Provenance
private collection, London.
Enquiry about object: 3944
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.
Enquiry about object: 3705
Batak Raja’s Large Brass Tobacco Pipe (Tulpang)
Batak, North Sumatra, Indonesia 19th century
length: 86cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 3909
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.
Enquiry about object: 3945
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.
Enquiry about object: 1804
Large Jorai Ironwood Ancestor Figure
Jorai People, Central Highlands, Vietnam 19th century
height: 114cm
Provenance
Benneton Collection, France
Enquiry about object: 1111
Batak Raja’s Brass Tobacco Pipe (Tulpang)
Toba Batak, North Sumatra, Indonesia 19th century
length: 76cm
Provenance
Christie's, The Trevor Barton Collection.
Enquiry about object: 2449
Ifugao Carved Wooden Ladle or Dipper
Kalanguya People, Southern Ifugao, Philippines early 20th century
length: 24.5cm
Provenance
Scottish art market
Enquiry about object: 3739
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.
Enquiry about object: 3908
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.
Enquiry about object: 4259
Naga Bead & Bone Necklace or Girdle
Naga People, India/Burma 19th century
length (approx): 67cm, width: 15.5cm, weight: 517g
Provenance
private collection, London.
Enquiry about object: 4399
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.
Enquiry about object: 3933
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.