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Hôtel des Ventes de Troyes

22 - Kundu drum - Sepik river - Papua New Guinea - Materials: Woo…
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Estimate €150 - €300
Sale commission
Description
Kundu drum - Sepik river - Papua New Guinea - Materials: Wood 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. 57 cm. Tapered drum carved from a single piece of wood and covered at the top with a reptile skin. The body is decorated with engraving typical of the Middle Sepik region, consisting of concentric networks, scrolls and curvilinear motifs enhanced with red pigments. These compositions cover a large part of the surface and are organised around large triangular reserves that punctuate the volume of the instrument. The openwork side handle, carved in high relief in the centre of the shaft, is a remarkable feature of the ensemble. Its volumetric treatment contrasts with the finesse of the incised decoration and bears witness to a design in which the ornamentation plays a full part in the identity of the object. The tufts of plant fibres attached to the sides and base complete the presentation and recall the ceremonial nature of many Sepik drums. In addition to its musical function, the Kundu drum played an essential role in ritual gatherings, dances and ceremonies linked to the life of men's homes. The importance given here to the engraved decoration, executed with remarkable regularity, places this piece in the tradition of the great artistic centres of the Sepik, where abstract motifs are often references to ancestors, spirits and clan emblems.
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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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