A REAL COLLECTORS' ITEM _ MANY RARE ASPECTS SO PLEASE READ FULLY. A CEREMONIAL SAGO PLATTER IN THE SHAPE OF A WAR CANOE WITH DETAILED FIGURES AND TRADITIONAL DESIGNS TO THE SIDES OF THE CANOE. THIS FORMED PART OF A COLLECTION FORMED IN THE 60's / 70's WITH SEVERAL VERY NICE EXAMPLES OF ASMAT TRIBALLY USED PIECES. AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE THIRD IMAGE THERE IS AN OLD LETTRASET DESCRIPTION SAYING. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT IS VERY RARE TO HAVE DETAILED INFORMATION OF AN EXACT VILLAGE LOCATION AND EVEN RARER TO KNOW THE MAKER.
THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS IS PERIOD INFORMATION. THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM NEW YORK HAS AN EXAMPLE FROM THE SAME REGION, AT WORST A NEIGHBOURING VILLAGE BUT PROBABLY THE SAME VILLAGE WITH A DIFFERENT FORM OF SPELLING _ OTSJANEP see Google Maps. THEY DESCRIBE THESE PIECES AS SAGO PLATTERS NOT BOWLS. THEIR EXAMPLE WAS PART OF THE ROCKEFELLER COLLECTION FORMED AT THE SAME TIME AND DOES NOT HAVE TWO NAKED "ANCESTOR" FIGURES.
OTHER RARE FACTORS ARE THE SIZE AT 92cm IN LENGTH & 9cm max. THE FACT IT HAS TWO FULLY NAKED "ANCESTOR" FIGURES AT THE ENDS OF THE PLATTER SHAPED AS A WAR CANOE IS ALSO VERY UNUSUAL. ALSO RARE IS THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD. DUE TO THE LENGTH ONE END OF THE PLATTER IS MADE SEPARATELY AND THEN JOINED WITH A RESIN GLUE this is intentional and not a repair _ the join is a little untidy and includes the lower legs and the decorative feature between the legs which joins in a very private and sensitive part of the body, as can be seen from the various images. CONDITION IS VERY GOOD WITH JUST THE TIP OF ONE NOSE MISSING, BUT PLEASE SATISFY YOURSELF BY CAREFULLY VIEWING THE IMAGES ESPECIALLY WHERE THE LARGER FIGURE JOINS WITH THE MAIN BODY OF THE PLATTER.
PHOTOS ARE THE BEST DESCRIPTION SO PLEASE VIEW WELL. ALL MY ITEMS WILL HAVE SIGNS OF USE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK FOR EXTRA DETAILS OR IMAGES. ITEMS WILL BE WELL PACKED. COURIERS ARE WELCOME BY ARRANGEMENT.DUE TO PEOPLE NOT TURNING UP I CANNOT ACCEPT CASH ON COLLECTION.