Niue or Solomon Island.

[Tim Simmons]

Managed to score this beauty. Listed as Solomon Islands but I am not so sure. It is 35" long and although it does look similar to the Solomon parrying club/shield club it is also different in many ways. I have pictures of a clubs from west Polynesia to Austral Islands that have similar features. Short of time just the moment so pictures latter.

[colin henshaw]

Definitely Niue Island. Well done....

[fearn]

Oh yes. Definitely Niue. Congratulations!

F

[Tim Simmons]

I am very pleased with this item. The only picture of a similar club is too large for my scanner but can be found on page 490 in "Oceanic art, Anthony JP Meyer" The example in the book is almost twice as long as mine but the form is the same {note the ridge following the length of the club to the grip} My club is 35.5 inches in a straight line from tip to tip. I am not an expert but in my mind this is a rare club.

[Sajen]

Congrats, a rare and nice one, I like the good patination.

Regards,

Detlef

[VANDOO]

CONGRADULATIONS A VERY WELL MADE EXAMPLE WITH A NICE PATINA.
I HAVE SEEN THIS FORM REFERRED TO AS A GAUATA PARRYING CLUB ALSO AS A SHIELD CLUB USUALLY JUST IDENTIFIED BY SOLOMON ISLANDS. HERE ARE A FEW PICTURES OF THE FORM.

[fearn]

I'm with Tim. I think it's from Niue.

See Page 163 in this book

Best,

F

[Tim Simmons]

fearn, thanks for that link. You are a bad influence as I have now ordered a copy. Alone not bad but when "An Ethnology of the Admiralty Islands" is added rather naughty .

This club is rather like a sword club. It is light enough to be used fast with one had in much the same way as the shorter light Dha. Close contact with a spike end. The grip has plenty of room for two hands. I am surprised how well balanced and pleasant it is in the hand.

[fearn]

Glad to oblige!

Happy New Collection Addition,

F

[Tim Simmons]

Fascinating book. Really just an early 20th century catalogue of the the material in the Pennsyvania University Museum, trying to bring some order to the collection of South Seas clubs. Printed 1917 but the English is very old fashioned even for then. The auther is humble enough to say that in some degree through lack of earlier study, oppinion is part of the corp of knowledge. To my mind there is one slight wobble which could be me reading between the lines ie -as the similar form is found in the Melanesian Solomons, {Melanesian may read as being thought of as lesser? than the Polynesian Samoan} it was introduced by travelling Niue people. There is no copyright on this publication. The club in the picture is longer but you can see the form is clearly the same.

P.S. the top script should be second.

[Tim Simmons]

Just adding a little more to this thread from the AMNH. Form variation these look heavier.
https://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology...20ST%2F%204519

[eftihis]

I have for some time this club, i bought it from abroad, and i believe is a creta sword club, but i am not sure! I see resemblance with these clubs. What is your opinion about the origin?

[Tim Simmons]

That's a lovely piece of wood. Beautifully made. Sure it is what you say with the carved sword grip normally covered with ray or shark skin. I would imagine they are not the most common of Greek weapons and a good thing to have, especially when you think of how common yataghan and shashka are.

[eftihis]

These are the usual shapes of Cretan sword club (called "spathoravdi" or "spathoverga"). I included the one in discussion.

[Tim Simmons]

Very cool lots of them. Lucky chap

More seriously this shows small Islands making weapons form local resources where metals may not be found with ease. One side of the world to the other, when one side was thought of as savages.