Oceanic Adze for comment
 

just got this one on e-pray. as a "polynesian/fijian war club"

reminds me of the maori ceremonial greenstone (jade) adzes that chiefs used as weapons/badges of rank.

vendor's pictures were quite dark, so i tarted this one up to show the grain & some details of the tiki carving. 22 in. stone looks dark grey (granite?). color may be different tho. fibre binding looks a bit weak for real use tho.

will take some better HD ones when it arrives, if the sun comes out...

IT LOOKS LIKE A MARQUESAS TOURIST ITEM OF THE LOWER QUALITY, MORE COMMON TYPE MADE FOR SALE TO THOSE WHO TRAVEL. MAKES A GOOD WALL HANGER BUT NOT TOP QUALITY CARVING OR MADE FOR ACTUAL USE.

ah, well, i suspected it was a touristy one, got it fairly cheap. can't win 'em all.

it arrived today. nice heavy smoothed hardwood, machine tool carving is reasonable & not crude, some areas could have been rounded a bit more. stone's fibre wrap loose. the stone itself is firmly attached with it's narrow end in a socket in the wood & held by resin (probably epoxy). will be a nice decorative wallflower rather than a 'user'. ;) with a bit of tarting up, some TLC on the carving edges and a nice tight wrap on the stone it might even be useful in case i need to grap something in the night. tho i'd rather grab the barong. or one of a few other favourites in preference. my searles-fowler 'bowie' perchance. :) it's the handiest.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING A FEW OF THESE EXOTIC WALL HANGERS AROUND FOR DECOR IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT. SOME OF THE OLD TIKI BARS WERE DECORATED WITH THIS SORT OF ITEM BACK IN THE DAYS OF MY YOUTH AND THERE WERE NO COOLER PLACES TO HANG OUT. :D SO I HAVE SOME OF THIS SORT OF THING AND A TIKI COLLECTION .
IF IT WAS CARVED IN THE MARQUESAS OR TAHITI IT DOES QUALIFY AS MODERN ETHNOGRAPHIC ART.
DECORATING OUR WALLS DOES HAVE A VERY LONG AND HONORABLE HISTORY FROM CAVE PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS ON HIDES TO MORE MODERN PAINTINGS AND TAPESTRY'S. :cool: