Australasian parrying shied

Tim Simmons · 18th April 2005, 07:00 PM

Hello all, I got this off ebay for the price of a snack and a beer and the seller lived in the same town!Plenty of room for your hand,and varnished with some kind of plant extract.Opinions please Tim

capt.smash · 18th April 2005, 08:01 PM

Bargain mate

nice item i like the patterning on the back.

Conogre · 18th April 2005, 09:47 PM

It looks recent, but still very nice.
The aborigines, like the natives of New Guinea and N. America were stone age cultures prior to western contact, with the Aborigines hunted and headed towards extinction for a decades and decades.
Any with finely incised patterns are probably made since the 1950's on.
Mike

Tim Simmons · 18th April 2005, 10:02 PM

Hello Mike,yes not old ,but has been around.No grime around the handle but I think it is still the real thing.Tim

Conogre · 19th April 2005, 07:32 AM

Tim, the carving isn't distinct enough to make out...are you sure that it's Australian?
I ask only because, over the past few months, I've stumbled across acounts of well over a dozen African tribes that used shields nearly identical to Aboriginal pieces, only with much finer incisions and detailing.
An aboriginal shield with that kind of carving would have probably been by an aboriginal artist in today's sense, made for sale, display or profit, anywhere from the 1930's-40's on, I suspect, much like the popular Igorot shields of the Philippines with the wonderful art work carved on them.
Mike

Tim Simmons · 12th June 2008, 10:33 AM

I think this is South Sudan like in the link. Mine is 110mm longer and 20mm wider but essentially the same thing with decoration. Same light wood possibly same age.

http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/details/1937.34.44/

Explore the weapons here, many types of shield.

18th April 2005, 07:00 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Australasian parrying shield Hello all, I got this off ebay for the price of a snack and a beer and the seller lived in the same town!Plenty of room for your hand,and varnished with some kind of plant extract.Opinions please Tim Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 18th April 2005 at 08:02 PM. Reason: I am a bit thick at times

19th April 2005, 07:32 AM	#5
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	Tim, the carving isn't distinct enough to make out...are you sure that it's Australian? I ask only because, over the past few months, I've stumbled across acounts of well over a dozen African tribes that used shields nearly identical to Aboriginal pieces, only with much finer incisions and detailing. An aboriginal shield with that kind of carving would have probably been by an aboriginal artist in today's sense, made for sale, display or profit, anywhere from the 1930's-40's on, I suspect, much like the popular Igorot shields of the Philippines with the wonderful art work carved on them. Mike Attached Images Last edited by Conogre; 19th April 2005 at 07:33 AM. Reason: forgot the word 'african".

18th April 2005, 08:01 PM	#2
capt.smash Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Devon ,England Posts: 80	Bargain mate nice item i like the patterning on the back.

18th April 2005, 09:47 PM	#3
Conogre Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Clearwater, Florida Posts: 371	It looks recent, but still very nice. The aborigines, like the natives of New Guinea and N. America were stone age cultures prior to western contact, with the Aborigines hunted and headed towards extinction for a decades and decades. Any with finely incised patterns are probably made since the 1950's on. Mike

18th April 2005, 10:02 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Hello Mike,yes not old ,but has been around.No grime around the handle but I think it is still the real thing.Tim

12th June 2008, 10:33 AM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	I think this is South Sudan like in the link. Mine is 110mm longer and 20mm wider but essentially the same thing with decoration. Same light wood possibly same age. http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/details/1937.34.44/ Explore the weapons here, many types of shield.