Shield opinions please?
 

Putting on my armchair slouch hat and safari jacket. My invissible porters and I came across this shield which we aquired from a Dutch native vendor. It was being sold as an example from a large continent. I bought it thinking it was from somewhere else. I was hoping before it arrives and I show daylight pictures. It would be fun to gather views of the origin on the anthropomorphic imagery only. it is not large 59cm high so there is a good chance that it is a dance shield though not certain.

It is a New Guinea shield but don't know exactly from where, would guess Sepik. :shrug:

Regards,

Detlef

I was thinking the same thing.

Thank you very much. That is what I think and why I bought it, perhaps even Papuan Gulf. The anthropomorphic imagery seems to fit that region? It was being sold as African, Nigeria. Ibibio.

I am more than happy to be wrong. If so please come forward and say so and show more information. We only learn really by being wrong.

Now I have had more time with this item it is clearly from the Gulf of Papua but I am not able to asign it to any particular group of people. It is a spirit board or spirit dance shield and board, as the handle would not function if used in battle being to close to the board to grip hard. It is quite hard and heavy it may have been suspended on a cord. The two holes could easily take suspention cord as much as the decorative tufts seen in other board examples. I must say I am really pleased with it :) This link has some nice stuff.

http://www.tomkinscollection.org/static/Oceania.html

Hello Tim,
saw this shield on the famous site ebay and remembered your post here. Although I knew already it was not from the Papoua Gulf I did not have anything to mention were it WAS/IS from, but now I do; a similar shield;
>removed (myself)the link as it is still active on ebay<

Have uploaded the pics; saying its from Cameroun, Kambila tribe, rare shield. Am not an African expert, so dont know if that is correct, but know its not from New Guinea.

Best, Wouter

Thanks for that. From the same seller as mine. Thats three sold in nearly as many weeks so much for being rare. I have always said to myself do not buy anything proclaimed as rare. Unless like me you are stupid trying to be clever. Mind you i did not pay much for it and it decorates the wall quite pleasingly.

Never said I bought it! :D
just helping out identifying.