Vanuatu, Vao Island, Canoe Prow "Naho" Bird.......late 19th century.

Description

This is a truly beautiful and very old Vanuatu, Vao Island, canoe prow "Naho" Bird figure....
Highly stylized bird with original European trade paint work - traditional dot design...
What sets this specimen apart from other examples is 1) the paint job (quite rare) and 2) the old age as evinced by the dark brown (and in some parts glossy) patina of the wood.
This is an old late 19th century example.....later ones that are unpainted, not used enough and do not have a dark patina sell for cheaper.....The more elaborate ones, also from the late 19th and some early 20th century -- the ones with double birds and/or an ancestor figure (or two) can go for as high as ,000 (and even more) on the market.
Photo # 4...shows a similar very old &  painted dot design specimen housed in a European museum.....Photo # 5..a charming image depicting a late19th cent Vanuatu fellow blowing a shell trumpet on his "Naho", with a bird figure on its prow.
The piece comes with a custom made metal stand. Displays beautifully!
It measures....full length approximately: 20 inches.    & width is 3.5 inches
Shipping cost to U.S is ....anywhere to Europe and Australia...about 0.
***** SEE PHOTOS FOR BEST DESCRIPTION......KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BUYING.....DO YOUR RESEARCH.....ALL SALES ARE FINAL.......ABEOLUTELY NO REFUNDS!!!....ASK QUESTIONS (if need be).