Oceanic Club or Hobo Art?
 

I need some help from the club guys out there. I've had this implement for a while and searched the references available to me, which include Edge-Partington, Oldman, Clunie and Churchill, and haven't found anything similar.

This thing is just over 32 inches (81 cm.) long with a flanged head like a mace and carved panels with geometric patterns and what appear to be 3, 4 and 5 fish head-to-tail. It is heavy, hard wood with age cracks and tapers to a blunt point at the end opposite the head.

http://home.swbell.net/mmontoro/32_inches.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/mmontoro/head_end.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/mmontoro/head.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/mmontoro/top_view.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/mmontoro/3_fish.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/mmontoro/4_fish.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/mmontoro/5_fish.jpg

This next image is from a closed eBay auction and while shorter, this club has a similar head
http://home.swbell.net/mmontoro/39_1_b.jpg

Here is a another recently closed auction with a short one that was bid on with confidence
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

I'd be grateful for any information. I'm curious to know what my example is and if it is related to the shorter pieces. Thanks.

A Polynesian Sheshpar!
Or, is it a Hobo Gargaz?

My guesses are:
a) it's Melanesian, and
b) it was made by a native craftsman, following native patterns, for a colonial (probably German or British, given the area). Think of this as a cane for a copra plantation master, trader, or something similar. I've read about stuff like this, but never seen an example or a picture I could direct you to.
c) alternatively (less probable) it was made for the tourist trade, or for sale to WWII-era soldiers. My gut-level guess is that it's pre-WWII, but I suppose it could be younger.

F

SOLOMON ISLANDS, THE FLANGED TYPE HEAD HAS BEEN SAID TO HAVE COME FROM RENNEL ISLAND. I AM NOT SURE WHEN THIS TYPE CLUB CAME INTO USE BUT DO HAVE SOME EXAMPLES THAT ARE PRE WW2. THEY ARE STILL BEING MADE AND THE NEWER ONES OFTEN HAVE SHELL INLAY AND NICE WOVEN CORD WITH TRADITIONAL PATTERNS. THE ONES I HAVE SEEN ARE USUALLY SMALL AND WERE EITHER FOR THROWING OR FIGHTING CLOSE IN. THE CARVERS IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS DO GOOD WORK AND SELL QUITE A LOT TO TOURISTS, THEIR FIGURAL BOWLS AND TIKI TYPE HEADS AS WELL AS THE CLUBS ARE NICE.
YOUR EXAMPLE APPEARS TO BE A STAFF OR CANE RATHER THAN A CLUB AND DUE TO THE LACK OF SHELL INLAY,PATINA AND THE USE OF LIME INLAY MAY BE BEFORE WW2, NICE ITEM :)

Thank you!
 

It's about the right size for a cane. Thanks, gentlemen. Would still love to hear from anyone else.

I think this is very nice and I feel sure it is pre ww2. I really like the engraved fish. If you look very close you can see that there was lime rubbed into the carving. The use of lime being very widespread makes it difficult to be certain of the exact island group. Some solomom artifact are distinctive as Vandoo hinted at, like this early 1900s staff. Tim

I'm with VANDOO on this one!! The linear diamond geometric seems consistant with certain tattoo art from the Solomons, and in degree some associated geometrics suggest New Guinea ("Tribal Tattoo Designs" , van Dinter, Boston, 2000, p.175).
In "Weapons and Implements of Savage Races" (Montague, London, 1921, p.111) in gig. 62 there is a somewhat similar club in profile, though without the multi-winged head, and in the text, the application of diamond motif is mentioned.
I'm curious about what type of hardwood that might be....Vandoo what is it?

All the best,
Jim

JIM THE DARK HEAVY HARDWOOD USED IS REFERED TO AS IRONWOOD, WHICH LEAVES A LOT OF POSSIBILITYS WORLDWIDE BUT I IMAGINE IS QUITE LIMITED IN TYPE ON ISLANDS. UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIES OR IF THERE IS MORE THAN ONE TYPE AVAILABLE. MANY OF THE MORE RECENT CARVINGS ARE DONE IN A LIGHT SOFT WOOD AND THEN COLORED WITH BLACK SHOEPOLISH OR SOMETHING WHICH SETS OFF THE MOP. INLAYS BETTER AND IS EASY TO CARVE. SO FAR ALL THE CLUBS I HAVE SEEN ARE STILL CARVED FROM HEAVY WOOD BUT A LOT OF THE CEREMONIAL BOWLS ECT. ARE NOW DONE IN LIGHT WOODS. THE SHAPE OF THE MOP IN THE SECOND CANE IS A STANDARD ONE USED IN THE SOLOMONS ON MASKS, BOWLS, ECT.

As a botanist, my guess is that it's some species of Casuarina or Intsia, both of which are widely used "ironwoods" in the Solomons. Vandoo's right: among us plant people, the story is that there are at least 60 species of "ironwood" across the world. Most of these are some sort of legume (i.e. Intsia), in the rose family, or in the oak order (this includes Casuarina). Not that this helps much, but it's my guess.

F