Malaita Island baton.

[Tim Simmons]

At last I have it. It has to be the most exquisite piece in the collection. I admire to use of two tone of shell in the haft. The ball end is weighted I cannot tell if it is solid wood or not but I suspect it is a small pierced stone covered with parrinarium nut paste set with shell. It is the size as the examples shown in the links. Although worn hanging between the shoulder blades by Lamo {big men warriors} that do the necessary or desired killing to keep the status quo. It is a symbolic weapon. What pleased me the most is, unlike many of the old clubs with a good patina this piece does not show any metal tool marks.

Another link
http://www.artvalue.com/auctionresul...on-1891287.htm

However metal tool marks should not put a collector off as metal is always eagerly sought after from the earliest western contact.