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Hôtel des Ventes de Troyes
32
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Ladle - Sepik area - Madang - Papua New Guinea - France
Prov…
See original version (French)
32
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Ladle - Sepik area - Madang - Papua New Guinea - France
Prov…
See original version (French)
Estimate €300 - €400
Voluntary lot
Description
Ladle - Sepik area - Madang - Papua New Guinea - France
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. 61 cm - Materials: Wood, Coconut
A rare ceremonial ladle consisting of a half-coconut bowl attached to a long carved handle. The handle is decorated with a series of stylised anthropomorphic faces arranged in a vertical register, culminating in a larger head at the upper end of the object.
The hieratic composition of the handle, combined with the rhythmic repetition of the figures, gives the piece a strong sculptural presence. The superimposed faces seem to evoke a lineage of ancestors or spirits, a recurring theme in the art of northern Papua New Guinea.
The bowl, fashioned from an old coconut, retains its traditional attachment by plant ligatures. Traces of use, the deep patina and the wear of the reliefs bear witness to long use.
Such objects were used during ceremonial meals or to distribute ritual preparations, where their symbolic dimension went far beyond their utilitarian function.
See original version (French)
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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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