New book about Oceanic war clubs

[Albert]

Just recently an interesting book has been published, I wrote the following review:

Curiosities from the Pacific Ocean. A remarkable rediscovery in the Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam: thirteen ethnographic objects from the Bruny d´Entrecasteaux Expedition (1791-1794) by David van Duuren and Tristan Mostert.

Published by The Tropenmuseum - Amsterdam and C. Zwartenkot Art Books - Leiden, 2007
ISBN-978-90-5450-008-7

Format: 29 x 22.5 cm. Hardcover in dustjacket.

72 pages with 52 illustrations including portraits of people and of ships involved; 18 colour plates depicting the rediscovered ethnographic items (warclubs, spear and food pounder); 14 b/w illustrations of Oceanic weapons drawn from books dating from the 19th and the early 20th century.

Language: English

Price: EUR 25,00

Curiosities from the Pacific Ocean deals with the recent rediscovery of eleven warclubs, one spear and one food pounder in the collection of the Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam. These objects were collected in 1792 and 1793 by the French explorer Bruny d´Entrecasteaux on various islands in Melanesia en Polynesia, shortly after James Cook's famous voyages of discovery. After many detours, these items arrived in the Netherlands thereby forming one of the oldest collections from Oceania. Of special interest is the fact that the authors were able to retrieve the history of these objects in detail. Indeed, a rare thing with regard to museum collections that were acquired more than two centuries ago. This publication describes not only these items, but also their history.

Contents:
- The Koloniaal Museum
- The race for the Pacific Ocean
- Nederburgh´s collection: to Europe by way of a detour
- The earliest Oceanic collections: incomplete or lost
- Select Bibliography
- Catalogue

The chapter on the Koloniaal Museum deals with the founding of this institute during the 19th century, and the origins of the collections to which these Oceanic clubs belonged. At that time, the main goal of ethnographic museums in the Netherlands was to spread the knowledge regarding the Dutch overseas territories. The emphasis lay especially on collecting objects as curiosities and as products of local industry. It was only in the course of the 20th century that these items were placed in their historical context.

The following chapter, The race for the Pacific Ocean, describes d´Entrecasteaux's expedition. At that moment in time, shortly after the Seven Years war, England and France competed for supremacy in de Pacific Ocean. This French expedition ultimately stranded on the island of Java in the Dutch East Indies.

The third chapter, Nederburgh´s collection: to Europe by way of a detour, discusses the acquisition on Java of these objects by Sebastiaan Cornelis Nederburgh, the then most powerful VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) official of Java. In 1799, he took the collection with him to the Netherlands. After many detours, it arrived at the Tropenmuseum where it is kept to the present day. This book unravels the history of this unique collection.

In the final chapter, The earliest Oceanic collections: incomplete or lost, it is brought to the fore that many old collections of Oceanic items are lost or have disappeared from view. During the 18th century and earlier, the objects were regarded as souvenirs and personal property. You would take them along with you as such; they had nothing at all to do with expeditions. All this changed during the second half of the 19th century, when great value was attributed to the scientific goals of expeditions.

The Catalogue section deals with the thirteen above-mentioned items in extenso. Next to each object, one or more drawings or photographs are presented that originate from books printed during the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century in which related objects are shown. In some cases exactly the same object, now in Amsterdam, is depicted in an atlas published in Paris as early as 1800 (!)

All in all, a splendid book indeed: informative, with outstanding photography and a state-of-the-art lay-out that evokes a de luxe experience. This exceptional quality is because the history of these items has meticuously been retrieved and described in a lively manner. Moreover, they have been precisely dated (to the week, in 1793) - a rarity with regard to objects acquired more than two hundred years ago. It is a pity that only the thirteen ethnographic objects mentioned above are described. On the other hand, the quality of these pieces and the certain determination of their dates do speak.

Curiosities from the Pacific Ocean is thus not only an essential reference work for collectors of Oceanic weapons, but also a beautiful look-and-read book for aficionados of ethnographic art and of the history that comes with it. Highly recommended!

Albert G. van Zonneveld

[VANDOO]

HI ALBERT

THANKS FOR THE REVIEW I WAS AWARE OF THE BOOK BUT WAS WAFFELING ON IF I SHOULD GET IT OR NOT. YOUR REVIEW HAS DECIDED ME IN THE AFIRMATIVE. I WILL COMMENT WHEN I GET MY COPY AND HAVE A CHANCE TO READ IT. THANKS BARRY

[Dajak]

Looks this belong to the swap forum




Ben

[Ian]

Thanks Ben:

You may be right, but we have a past tradition of discussing new (and old) books in the General Forum where exchange of ideas and opinions is more free flowing.

Ian.

Originally Posted by Dajak

Looks this belong to the swap forum


Ben

[Albert]

The publisher sent me the following ordering information which is, I think, handy for those who are interested:

This publication can be ordered through the link below. The book is listed under nr. 33.
http://www.ethnographicartbooks.com/...=2844510.51418

I am taking the risk of a rebuke (Ben) by placing it into this thread.
If it should be in the swap forum I will gladly move it.

Albert

[Dajak]

Hi Albert it surprise me only that you give book reviews and tell that they are for sale in the Leiden museum Bookstore .
That looks to me advertisement for this bookstore .
So belong to the swap forum in my opinion.


Ben