MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS 1: MARQUESAS

[ASH]

Great Thread,
Thank you VANDOO for bringing the topic of war clubs in to the fray.
These's 'U'u clubs have got to be some of the most interesting and striking of any of the world's weapons! An interesting side note about there height, I was told that it was determined by the owner's arm pit height, so that the club would rest there like a kind of crutch.
I know I just shared some pics of my clubs in recent posts, but here are some more of my 'U'u.
Lookin forward to the rest of your "greatest club threads"!

[VANDOO]

ASH TWO FEATURES ON YOUR CLUB ARE VERY INTERESTING THE NOSE AND MOUTH CARVED ON THE HEAD OF THE CLUB ON ONE SIDE ONLY IS UNIQUE. THE OTHER IS ON SOME OF THE TIKIS THE EYE RESEMBLES A LEAF MAKES ONE WONDER IF THERE IS BOTH ANIMAL AND PLANT INCORPORATED A BIT INTO THE DESIGNS WHICH ARE NO DOUBT BASED ON THE BELIEFS OF THE SOCIETY. THE DESIGNS AND FORMS ARE ART BUT HAVE MEANING AS WELL AND CONSIDERING THE SERIOUSNESS OF BREAKING ANY TAPU IN POLYNESIAN SOCIETYS, TRADITION AND BELIEFS WERE NO DOUBT FOLLOWED.
ONE PICTURE OF A UU AND A CEREMONIAL PADDLE. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS KIND OF PADDLE WAS USED IN THE MARQUESAS BUT DO KNOW IT WAS FOUND IN THE COOK IS. AND PERHAPS IN TAHITI.
THE OTHER UNIQUE MARQUESAS CARVING WERE CEREMONIAL STILTS NOT SURE WHAT CEREMONIAL PURPOSE THEY SERVED? TWO PICTURES OF STILTS AND A UNUSUAL TIKI CARVING IN TRADITIONAL MARQUESAN FORM.

[VANDOO]

TWO MORE INTERESTING VARIATIONS CLOSED TODAY I BID WITH 2 SECONDS TO GO BUT THE SAME SNIPER GOT ME ON BOTH. FROM THE AMOUNT OF WINS AND FEEDBACK OF THE BIDDER ITS LIKELY WE WILL SEE THEM ON AUCTION IN FUTURE. IF HE IS JUST A COLLECTOR LIKE ME HE IS EVEVEN SICKER THAN ME AND MUST HAVE AN ENOUMUS HOUSE.
THE LARGER ONE IS 53 INCHES TALL AND THE SHORTER ONE 39 INCHES. I SUSPECT NEITHER IS PRECONTACT BUT EARLY ONES MADE FOR SALE TO THOSE WHO TRAVEL. THE SHORTER IS LIKELY THE NEWER OF THE TWO. NOT HANDELING THEM I WOULD GUESS 1930'S TO 1940'S IMPOSIBLE TO TELL FROM PICTURES.

[VANDOO]

THREE MORE MARQUESAS WARRIOR/CHIEF. THE PICTURE IS SAID TO BE FROM 1879

[VANDOO]

YET ANOTHER VARIATION SURFACES AND SELLS ON EBAY. SAID TO BE 1920'S 47 IN. LONG X 5.25 IN. WIDE X 3 IN. THICK.

[Diceman]

Here are some more U'u pics of some pieces I have carved.

[Diceman]

More U'u pics from others. I have more also if you guys are interested?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Diceman

More U'u pics from others. I have more also if you guys are interested?

Yes, please!

[Diceman]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

ASH TWO FEATURES ON YOUR CLUB ARE VERY INTERESTING THE NOSE AND MOUTH CARVED ON THE HEAD OF THE CLUB ON ONE SIDE ONLY IS UNIQUE. THE OTHER IS ON SOME OF THE TIKIS THE EYE RESEMBLES A LEAF MAKES ONE WONDER IF THERE IS BOTH ANIMAL AND PLANT INCORPORATED A BIT INTO THE DESIGNS WHICH ARE NO DOUBT BASED ON THE BELIEFS OF THE SOCIETY. THE DESIGNS AND FORMS ARE ART BUT HAVE MEANING AS WELL AND CONSIDERING THE SERIOUSNESS OF BREAKING ANY TAPU IN POLYNESIAN SOCIETYS, TRADITION AND BELIEFS WERE NO DOUBT FOLLOWED.
ONE PICTURE OF A UU AND A CEREMONIAL PADDLE. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS KIND OF PADDLE WAS USED IN THE MARQUESAS BUT DO KNOW IT WAS FOUND IN THE COOK IS. AND PERHAPS IN TAHITI.
THE OTHER UNIQUE MARQUESAS CARVING WERE CEREMONIAL STILTS NOT SURE WHAT CEREMONIAL PURPOSE THEY SERVED? TWO PICTURES OF STILTS AND A UNUSUAL TIKI CARVING IN TRADITIONAL MARQUESAN FORM.

Vandoo, The Paddle in that sketch is actually from the Austral Islands. They were not used in the water. Quite a few of them were made and used for trade. I think I heard somewhere that there are about 1000 in private collections and museums. Here is one I carved a few years ago.