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Hôtel des Ventes de Troyes

6 - - Adze - Massim - Trobriand Islands - Papua New Guinea Prove…
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Estimate €150 - €300
Sale commission
Description
- Adze - Massim - Trobriand Islands - Papua New Guinea Provenance: Former Guy Seghers collection (Belgium). Collected in Papua New Guinea between 1970 and 1980 during scientific missions linked to the Leopold III Biological Station on Laing Island. Archives and period photographs preserved. Dimensions: H. 49 cm - Materials: Wood The characteristic shape of the curved handle, the transverse attachment of the blade and the care taken with the carved details bring it into line with examples attributed to the Massim air. The tool retains a metal blade fixed by a large ligature of plant fibres. This construction is a direct descendant of the old stone-bladed adzes, long used for making pirogues, architecture and sculpture. With the introduction of metal at the end of the 19th century, craftsmen often retained the traditional shapes while replacing the old lithic blades with metal ones. The lower end of the handle features an elegant carved openwork motif reminiscent of the ornamentation found on certain Massim objects associated with prestige and navigation. Although utilitarian in its primary function, this adze testifies to the aesthetic attention paid to tools in Melanesian societies, where everyday objects could also express the status and identity of their owner.
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About the sale ARTS OF AFRICA & OCEANIA: Three exceptional family collections
Auction location
Auction time 06/22/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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