Our catalogue > Tribal Art – Oceania

The 'tribal' arts of New Guinea, Fiji, the Maori of New Zealand and other Oceanic cultures are to be found on this page.

All pieces are for sale, and each has been selected for its artistic merit, patina and provenance.

Each piece has been sourced from within the UK, often from old colonial-era collections.

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9196

Rare Torres Strait Turtle Shell Mask

Torres Strait Islands, Queensland, Australia
before 1870

length: approximately 19.5cm, width: 13cm, weight: 249g

Sold

Provenance

Collection of Julian Harding, London

9195

Large & Early Kina Shell Pectoral Pendant with Stone-Drilled Holes

Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea
late 18th-19th century

width: approximately 19cm, weight: 183g

Provenance

Julian Harding Collection, London

8960

Oceanic Cowrie & Sinnet Cord Necklace

Pacific Islands
early 20th century

circumference: approximately 80cm, length of cowries: 6.5-7.8cm, weight: 309g

Provenance

private collection, UK

7256

Maori Trolling Lure Fish Hook (Pa Kahawai)

Maori People, New Zealand
18th-19th century

length (without cord): 14.8cm, width: 2cm, weight: 20g

Provenance

UK art market; UK private collection.

8542

Solomon Islands Engraved Shell Pendants with Shell Currency Strands

Solomon Islands
early 20th century

length (of the largest shell pendant): 5.8cm, weight: 92g

Provenance

from the estate collection of a former London museum curator

7261

Fijian Bark Cloth Beater (Ike ni Masi), ex Tost & Rohu of Sydney

Fiji
19th century

legnth: 41cm, width: 4cm, weight: 516g

Provenance

private collection, UK; Acquired from Tost & Rohu, Sydney - 1930s or earlier

8461

Fijian Barkcloth Cloth (Masi)

Fiji
19th-20th century

length: approximately 170.5cm, width: approximately 87cm

Provenance

UK art market

8527

Solomon Islands Comb (Faa) & Original Palm Leaf Wrapping

Kwaio People, Malaita, Solomon Islands
early 20th century

length: 18.5cm, width: 7cm, combined weight: 23g

Provenance

from the estate collection of a former London museum curator

8529

Solomon Islands Small Pectoral Pendant (Tafi or Dafe)

Solomon Islands
early 20th century

length: 9.3cm, weight: 25g

Provenance

from the estate collection of a former London museum curator

7312

Fijian Terracotta Water Vessel (Saqamoli)

Fiji
19th-20th century

height: 16.5cm, width: 15cm, weight: 875g

Provenance

Antiques market, Scotland.

8543

Solomon Islands Carved Clam Shell & Seed Necklace

Solomon Islands
early 20th century

width (of shell pendant): 8.5cm, weight: 99g

Provenance

from the estate collection of a former London museum curator

8540

Solomon Islands Gold Lipped Pearl Shell Pendant with attached Shell Currency Strands

Solomon Islands
early 20th century

length (of shell): 7cm, width: 6.7cm, weight: 26g

Provenance

from the estate collection of a former London museum curator

8545

Solomon Islands Engraved Shell Pendants with Shell Currency Strands

Solomon Islands
early 20th century

length (of the largest pendant): 6.6cm, weight: 98g

Provenance

from the estate collection of a former London museum curator

8546

Solomon Islands Large Pectoral Pendant (Tafi or Dafe)

Solomon Islands
early 20th century

length: 20.7cm, weight: 190g

Provenance

from the estate collection of a former London museum curator

8526

Solomon Islands Turtleshell & Carved Abalone Shell Trolling Lure Fish Hook

Solomon Islands, probably Malaita Island
19th century

length: 7.9cm, width: 1.4cm, weight: 5g

Provenance

from the estate collection of a former London museum curator.

7202

New Hebrides Abalone Shell & Turtleshell Trolling Lure Fish Hook

New Hebrides (Vanuatu)
19th century

length: 7.5cm, width: 1.9cm, weight: 13g

Provenance

UK art market; UK private collection.

7247

Fijian Trolling Lure Fish Hook (Bayaloyalo)

Fiji
early-to-mid 19th century

length: approximately 10.2cm, width: 1.4cm, weight: 8g

Provenance

UK art market; UK private collection.

1984

Pair of New Guinea Cone-Shell Ear Ornaments, dated 1859

New Guinea
collected in 1859

maximum diameter of each: 7cm

Provenance

UK art market; private collection, UK.

7020

Fijian Tapa Bark Cloth Beater (Ike ni Masi)

Fiji, probably Viti Levu Highlands region
late 18th century

length: 36.4cm, weight: 771g

Provenance

UK art market

9123

Maori Small Hei-Tiki Greenstone Pendant

Maori People, New Zealand
early 20th century

length: 4.7cm, width: 3cm, weight: 17g

Sold

Provenance

UK art market

6522

Maori Greywacke Club (Patu Onewa)

Maori People, New Zealand
18th century

length: 37.2cm, width: 9.4cm, weight: 1,109g

Provenance

private collection, London, UK; prior to that, Christie's Paris, December 2003.

2181

Life-sized Sepik Ancestor Figure

Sepik Region, New Guinea
late 19th century

height: 165cm

Provenance

Francis de Sales McHugh Collection, collected by de Sales McHugh in the first half of the 20th century.

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)

4236

Early New Guinea Wooden & Bone Mace or Club

Papua New Guinea, probably Sepik region
19th century and possibly earlier

length: 64.2cm, diameter of head: 9cm, weight: 190g

Provenance

UK art market

2185

Sepik Crocodile Man Earthenware Roof Ridge Tile with Pigments

Chambri Lakes, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea
early 20th century

height: 42cm, width: 25.5cm

Provenance

Francis de Sales McHugh Collection, collected by de Sales McHugh in the early 20th century.

5443

Early, Carved Wooden Massim Sword Club or Lime Spatula

Massim area, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea
18th-19th century

length: 62.5cm, width at widest point: 8cm

Provenance

UK art market

2992

Rare Massim Double Pedestal Cup with Spirit Figures

Massim People, Trobiand Islands, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea
20th century

height: 70.5cm, diameter of bowl: 20.5cm

Provenance

private collection, UK

4755

Unusual Massim Carved, Wooden Lime Spatula Shaped as a Hornbill

Massim People, Tobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea
early 20th century

length: 38.3cm

Provenance

UK art market

2940

Fijian Throwing Club (I Ula Tavatava)

Fiji
18th-early 19th century

length: 42cm

Provenance

UK art market; private UK collection.

2746

Rare Solomon Islands Ceremonial Child’s Dance Wand or Staff (Napa)

Santa Cruz, Solomon Islands
circa 1900

length: 75.5cm

Provenance

UK art market

2096

Very Fine Man’s Woven Comb (Faa)

Kwaio People, Malaita, Solomon Islands
19th or early 20th century

height: 20cm, width: 5.5cm

Provenance

UK art market

1032

Aboriginal Mulga Wood Spear Thrower (Woomera)

Aboriginal People, Central Australia
circa 1940

height: 77cm, width: 11cm

Provenance

UK art market

2184

Sepik Kominimung Shield

Pora Pora or Bien River, Sepik Region, Papua New Guinea
first half of the 20th century

height: 117cm, width: 46cm

Provenance

Francis de Sales McHugh Collection, and thence by descent, collected by de Sales McHugh in the first half of the 20th century.

2182

Sepik Lime Container in the form of a Rooster on a Crocodile

Iatmul People, Middle Sepik River Region, Papua New Guinea
first half of the 20th century

length: 68cm

Provenance

Francis de Sales McHugh Collection, and thence by descent, collected by de Sales McHugh in the first half of the 20th century .

3391

Aboriginal Pineapple Pandanus Head Battle Club

Central Queensland, Australia
early 20th century

length: 72.5cm, weight: 541g

Provenance

UK art market