Oceanic Club Question: Real Deal or Tourist Appeal?

laEspadaAncha · 28th June 2011, 11:36 PM

This is on loan to me at present… should I choose, I can acquire this for fairly little. Hoping to get enough input here so as to make an informed decision.

Club measures 57cm in length, with the club head measuring roughly 40cm x 10cm. I know variations of the form are widespread throughout parts of both Melanesia and Polynesia. I haven't held enough of these to be comfortable in determining age or attribution with any significant degree of confidence, though I'd estimate the age at no later than 1st half 20th (bookended by WWII), and possibly - hopefully - earlier?

The club has decent mass - about 700 grams worth - and it feels more weighty in the hand than my Malaita club of somewhat similar dimensions. Based on what appear to be slight impressions/ indentations, the handle (which measures a little more than 12.5 cm in circumference) looks as if it might have had a cord wrapping at some time. It exhibits a slightly darker patina than the rest of the club (from handling, maybe?).

The geometric incisions are in a repeating crescent pattern which seems to (in part) recall elements found in the patterns in Fig. 52 (& 53) in Churchill's Club Types of Nuclear Polynesia, attributed to Tonga.

Of note are the three shells deeply set with resin on each side. The two set in the club head give impressions of eyes - both when viewing the plane of the club as well as when viewing it from the striking edge. In spending a little time with the club, it is the latter viewing angle that caught my attention… Is it just me, or does the lateral placement of the eyes when viewed from the striking edge give the impression of something else?

Now... am I guilty of just staring at the clouds until I see something, or does the last picture look something like this?

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28th June 2011, 11:36 PM	#1
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Oceanic Club Question: Real Deal or Tourist Appeal? This is on loan to me at present… should I choose, I can acquire this for fairly little. Hoping to get enough input here so as to make an informed decision. Club measures 57cm in length, with the club head measuring roughly 40cm x 10cm. I know variations of the form are widespread throughout parts of both Melanesia and Polynesia. I haven't held enough of these to be comfortable in determining age or attribution with any significant degree of confidence, though I'd estimate the age at no later than 1st half 20th (bookended by WWII), and possibly - hopefully - earlier? The club has decent mass - about 700 grams worth - and it feels more weighty in the hand than my Malaita club of somewhat similar dimensions. Based on what appear to be slight impressions/ indentations, the handle (which measures a little more than 12.5 cm in circumference) looks as if it might have had a cord wrapping at some time. It exhibits a slightly darker patina than the rest of the club (from handling, maybe?). The geometric incisions are in a repeating crescent pattern which seems to (in part) recall elements found in the patterns in Fig. 52 (& 53) in Churchill's Club Types of Nuclear Polynesia, attributed to Tonga. Of note are the three shells deeply set with resin on each side. The two set in the club head give impressions of eyes - both when viewing the plane of the club as well as when viewing it from the striking edge. In spending a little time with the club, it is the latter viewing angle that caught my attention… Is it just me, or does the lateral placement of the eyes when viewed from the striking edge give the impression of something else? Now... am I guilty of just staring at the clouds until I see something, or does the last picture look something like this? \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \/