Rare pre-1900 Paiwan club

[Ian]

I don't usually collect clubs, but I was very surprised to find this extremely rare Paiwan club on offer by an Australian auction house known for dealing in Oceanic and Asian antiques. I ended up paying more than I expected because another bidder also recognized the rarity of this piece.

Despite its age, it is still in good condition despite some signs of it having been used. The decorations in red and black along the shaft are of typical Paiwan design, and finish in a carved snake's head at the end. It is only the second example of a Taiwanese club thqat I have seen.

The pictures are from the auction site. I will post more detailed views when it arrives.


Overall length = 56 cm (~22.2 in)

[Tim Simmons]

Very cool. Any imformation on the weight? Nice thing to have. I can't help noticing the snake designs similarity to the snake carving on some of the Trobriand clubs. Am I right to believe that the Formosa aborigenal people are related to polynesian/melanesian/micronesian people? The black and red paint work peaked my interest so I have added a red and black Amazonian club. Quite new not like your lucky find. Very cool

PS. Also the Solomon Island club of the same form. Which is a light weight dance wand more than a club but the same shape, slightly interesting?

[drac2k]

Real old Formosan edged weapons are rare and very desirable, however I can not even imagine the rarity of one of their clubs;this is the first one that I've seen!
Congratulations on a wonderful piece!

[Sajen]

Congrats Ian, a real great score!

And yes, a typical Paiwan design, compare it with a Pawan sword I once owned!

[Ian]

Tim, drac, Detlef,

Thank you all for the kind words. This is probably the neatest thing I have collected this year! I have searched widely on the web, and gone to a few museum sites but have not found another example of a Paiwan club.

The Paiwan people make up about 17% of the indigenous aboriginal people of Taiwan. They are unique in having a hereditary hierarchical structure, with a nobility, a class of gentry, and commoners. With regard to the nobility, only they are permitted to adorn their items with the snake. This aligns with their creation mythology in which the snake plays an important part and is revered.

The snake depicted is Deinagkistrodon acutus, a viper that is commonly called the "hundred paces" snake—so named because if it bites someone they can walk a hundred paces before expiring. It is found on Taiwan, parts of mainland China, Laos, and perhaps Vietnam.

The club shown above is undoubtedly a ruling class item, probably ceremonial in nature. It was a symbol of power and prestige, and likely used in traditional dances.

Deinagkistrodon acutus

[Ian]

Originally Posted by drac2k

Real old Formosan edged weapons are rare and very desirable, however I can not even imagine the rarity of one of their clubs;this is the first one that I've seen!
Congratulations on a wonderful piece!

Thanks drac. Yes, a very rare piece as you note. The edged weapons of the Taiwan native groups have become increasingly difficult to find and the prices for them have gone through the roof. I have maybe a half dozen, mostly Atayal, and one Paiwan traditional sword. I sold a few several years ago to avid collectors, and have not been able to replace them.

[drac2k]

And so it goes;how many times have we sold something that we lament for years afterwards,lol? I'm sure that there must be some type of medical term for that condition.

[Sajen]

I sold all my three Paiwan and the only Rukai swords I've owned before in need of money when I bought a house. And much too cheap in today's view like Ian already mentioned.
Things come and go, that's life!

But you can be happy to have a much rarer item in your hands now!

[ausjulius]

Originally Posted by Ian

I don't usually collect clubs, but I was very surprised to find this extremely rare Paiwan club on offer by an Australian auction house known for dealing in Oceanic and Asian antiques. I ended up paying more than I expected because another bidder also recognized the rarity of this piece.

Despite its age, it is still in good condition despite some signs of it having been used. The decorations in red and black along the shaft are of typical Paiwan design, and finish in a carved snake's head at the end. It is only the second example of a Taiwanese club thqat I have seen.

The pictures are from the auction site. I will post more detailed views when it arrives.


Overall length = 56 cm (~22.2 in)

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haha damn small world, i was about to post this throwing club. went for more than id like to pay unfortunately i probably pushed up your final price a little.. it is indeed Taiwanese as far as i understand, . ive seen a black and white photo from an old auction catalogue probably from the 50s that had many Taiwanese items showing a similar style of club.
have you any images of any other examples?

[Ian]

Hi ausjulius.

Yes, it was more than I expected to pay, but its rarity compelled me to push ahead. I don't have any pictures of other Paiwan clubs unfortunately. I think these were largely ceremonial and a mark of superior social status.

Regards, Ian

[ausjulius]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi ausjulius.

Yes, it was more than I expected to pay, but its rarity compelled me to push ahead. I don't have any pictures of other Paiwan clubs unfortunately. I think these were largely ceremonial and a mark of superior social status.

Regards, Ian

Hey, yes it's a high price but also an exceptionally rare item.
As to their use, I'd imagine they are hunting clubs or weapons. If they were some sort of ceremonial sceptre I'd expect a more ornate less functional shspe. Like you see on some of the west African or Fijian sceptres and ceremonial clubs.. but it's a functional shspe suited to throwing.
When you get the club check it's geometry and the materials used, weight, density, edge of the club. I'm very curious.

The only image I've seen was simply a low resolution image of a mixed lot of Taiwanese items,spears swords and these clubs.
Have you seen any other information on these?
As to mysterious clubs.. I'd say clubs and throwing clubs were probably common in many cultures but have faded away..
I recall as a kid reading a book discussion north eastern India and Bhutan-, alas I can't recall the name but the as author made mention 2 times to throwing clubs and games played with them and of people making these clubs among some of the Bhutanese natives.. bug what such clubs looked like I've no idea as there is no clubs in Bhutan today and no Bhutanese I've met knows anything about such things..
But I'm sure until the industrial period many cultures kept the use of these.
Another obscure one is Thai bladed wooden clubs called "Komfaag".. .
..or the carved Breton clubs from north eastern France..
Or the clubs used by Mongolian ethnicities in inner Mongolia..
These things have faded from common use in these cultures but were once wide spread and common in those societies but now most people would not recognise them and little if anything has been written and documented about them
I suspect these Taiwanese clubs are similar . Probably once every ethnic group had such items but they just faded from the common cultural memory.
Would be curious to see more examples.. or contact a museum in Taiwan or Japan and see what other examples are known