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RARE PAPUA NEW GUINEA VINT IATMUL KAMBOT FEMALE ANCESTOR & SEABIRD WOOD CARVING

$ 521.4

Availability: 100 in stock
  • Seashell eyes: Hand decorated
  • Some minor scuffs & abrasions: Part of bird's lower beak missing
  • Color: Matte charcoal, fawn (burnt sienna) & putty white
  • Dimensions:: 31" Height x 4 ½" Width (widest point/ base) 5 " D
  • Middle Sepik River: Hand-carved
  • Restocking Fee: No
  • Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
  • Maker: People from Iatmul Kambot Village
  • Circa 1930's: Papua New Guinea
  • Flat, matte finish: 100% original, untouched, 'as-found' cond.
  • Condition: Good to Very Good overall vint cond: There are some minor superficial scuffs & shallow abrasions to the painted wood surface. None of these would be considered highly noticeable & distracting from the viewing of the work. Only the very end of the bird's beak has experienced some material loss, w/the very end of the seabird's beak missing. No attempt has been made to restore or to otherwise conceal this loss of wood occurring in this specific area of the carving. The carving is an authentic, orig indigenous work from the Iatmol Kambot Village of Middle Sepik River of Papua New Guinea of Pacific Oceania. It features a long tailed, spotted seabird standing on the shoulders of an ancestral female figure or painted goddess, her face decorated in colored vegetable paste, as if ready for an important ceremonial function or tribal ritual. The bird seems to be defending the vulnerable woman from harm, shielding her from any potential enemies. Enormously beautiful. Monumental. Extraordinary.
  • 100% untouched, original vintage cond: In 'as-found,' 'as-encountered' condition
  • All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
  • Early to mid-20th century: Indigenous, tribal, figurative wood carving
  • Vegetable based paint (dye pastes): Single board wood construction
  • Refund will be given as: Money Back
  • Original/Reproduction: Original
  • Oceanic art: Tribal art from Papua New Guinea
  • Hand-decorated: Vegetable based colors
  • Item must be returned within: 14 Days
  • Material: Coastal palm painted wood, polychrome finish

    Description

    RARE,
    IMPORTANT
    MIDDLE SEPIK RIVER,
    PAPUA NEW GUINEA
    VINTAGE AUTHENTIC, ORIGINAL
    CEREMONIAL
    IATMUL KAMBOT VILLAGE
    HAND CARVED
    FEMALE
    ANCESTO
    R FIGURE,
    W/SEA
    BIRD
    FIGURATIVE WOOD CARVING
    (Circa 1935-1950)
    Pacific Islander/Oceanic folk art sculpture
    DIMENSIONS:
    31" Height x 4
    ½
    " Width (widest point/ base)
    5" Depth (base)
    DESCRIPTION:
    This rare, very large, exquisite tribal wood carving is an authentic, original indigenous work from the
    Iatmul Kambot Village
    of
    Middle Sepik River
    of
    Papua New Guinea
    of
    Pacific Oceania.
    It features a long tailed, spotted seabird standing on the shoulders of an ancestral female figure or painted goddess, her face decorated in colored vegetable paste, as if prepared for an important ceremonial function or tribal ritual. The bird seems to be defending the partially naked, vulnerable woman from harm, shielding her from any potential enemies or maladies and making her feel omnipotent and protected by spiritual forces, otherwise unseen to the naked eye. The wood carving is exquisite and the vegetable based colors still remain saturated, vivid and vibrant. At 31 inches in height, the wood carving would be considered not only large but monumental. As with many other
    Middle Sepik River
    and
    East Sepik River, Papua New Guinea
    indigenous, tribal wood carvings, the work is very 'plastic' (manipulated) and the carver's mark-making and hand work can be clearly seen and even felt. The wood carved sculpture is immensely physical and vibrates with life force and the transmission of human experience. The entire piece is characteristically decorated with matte, flat finish, vegetable based paint or paste that usually is available in burnt sienna or fawn, chalky charcoal black or matte gray, light yellow ocher and putty white. This work is from an important collection from an important estate in Massachusetts, where the former owner of the piece acquired it directly from one of his many journeys abroad, where he began to amass his varied and important collection. This work is from that particular collection and hasn't been seen or made available to the public until now. An outstanding and unusual work by the people of
    Iatmul Kambot Village
    of
    Middle Sepik River
    in
    Papua New Guinea.
    Extraordinary and offered without apologies. Enormously beautiful. Monumental. Magnificent. Rare.
    CONDITION:
    Good to Very Good overall vintage condition. There are some minor superficial scuffs and shallow abrasions to the painted wood surface. None of these would be considered highly noticeable and distracting from the viewing of the entirety of the large figurative wood carving. Only the very end of the bird's beak has experienced some material loss, with the very end of the seabird's beak missing. No attempt has been made to restore or to otherwise conceal this loss of wood occurring in this specific area of the carving.
    PROVENANCE AVAILABLE:
    The piece was acquired by the head of a very important American defense corporation based in Massachusetts, where it sat in his home for decades unseen and untouched, except by those who were part of his family or invited guests in his home. The gentleman had significant resources and traveled the entire world over his lifetime, where he built a significant collection of folk art, ethnographic and indigenous people's sculpture, textiles and ceramic art. His company is a Fortune 500 firm and is publicly traded on Wall Street. His corporation is one of the largest defense contractors in the United States and procures highly sophisticated defense equipment and weapons' systems for nations the world over. This is a significant piece from a significant home and from a significant American citizen, who headed one of the United States largest and most successful corporations. The piece was taken from the home by a life-long, personal friend of this highly accomplished individual. The chain of custody of the work and the provenance will be made available to the buyer but not before. Thank you.