New Caledonia club

[Tim Simmons]

This is a new item to my collection. I left a bid fully expecting not to win, especially so low. I was unsure at first but after some research I felt the club fitted the canon of New Caledonia club forms. It was listed as 20th century which it may well be, certainly early 20th century. I am sure that with an oil dressing it will look very good, perhaps even look late 19th century. I am perfectly happy with 20th century. No reason why it could not date from the 1917 rebellion. There is much documentation about the lack of firearms and reliance on club weapons during the first Kanak rebellion so it may well have been the same in 1917 some 40 years on. The secret stirrings of the rebellion was aided by the exchange of magic bundles and knots, note the interesting additions to the club. Not proof of anything but still rather interesting. Finding pictures of related forms swung the balance. Pen illustration from {Melanesia A Short Ethnography, B A L Cranstone, The British Museum 1961} colour photo {Arts Of The South Seas, The Collections of the Musee Barbier-Mueller, Prestel 1999} the item is 69.5cm in lenght.