Papua New Guinea Club ?

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
I believe this stone headed club to originate from Papua New Guinea and probably late 19thC early 20thC. The info on the net is rather reticent on these items. I did find one very similar example in Plymouth Museum collected by a missionary pre 1909, a selection of other items from PNG is well represented on the Plymouth Museum website. Many thanks in advance for your ideas and comments.
Regards,
Norman.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
Image of club in Plymouth Museum collection.
Regards,
Norman.




Photo, Plymouth Museum Website.

[VANDOO]

I WOULD AGREE ITS LIKELY FROM NEW GUINEA AND IS A VERY NICE EXAMPLE OF THE ROUND BALL SHAPED STONE HEAD FORM. IT IS UNUSUAL TO FIND CARVING ON THE SHAFT OF THESE AND OFTEN THE SHAFTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED RECENTLY FOR SALE. YOUR EXAMPLE SEEMS TO HAVE NATURAL PATINA AND SHOWS GOOD AGE. I LIKE IT A LOT BETTER THAN THE EXAMPLE FROM THE MUSEUM. WE NEED A REFERENCE POST ON THESE AS THERE ARE SEVERAL FORMS FROM FLAT DISK TO STAR SHAPED TO PINEAPPLE TO DIAMOND SHAPED FORMS AS WELL AS THE ROUND BALL FORM. THERE ARE NO DOUBT REGIONAL DIFFERENCES, PERHAPS THE DESIGN ON YOUR EXAMPLE CAN HELP PIN IT DOWN TO ONE AREA OR TRIBE. I HAVE SOME MATERIAL ON THEM BUT HAVE NOT GOTTEN AROUND TO WORKING ON IT YET.

[Tim Simmons]

The fine engraved lines on the sharft of this example make me believe this example may actually be African. Here is an example from the Pittrivers Oxford. Either way I like it.

http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/details/1937.34.45/

I found pictures I posted back in 2007 of a Sudan club that illustrates this type of engraved linear decoration. The pictures are not in good light. The wood in real life is very similar in colour and patina. I cannot take better pictures as this club is currently in an auction house. If I am correct (if got it right from the last telephone contact with said house) the club and a load of other weapon junk is being return to me as a did not like their so called tribal experts appraisal. If this is indeed how I left it, I will be able to add better pictures in a week or twos time.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi Barry and Tim,
Many thanks for your replies and interest. From what I can find I'm almost 100% sure this is from P.N.G. This website should be of interest although you probably have seen it already http://www.tribalartbrokers.net/prai...-clubs-of-png/

The wooden 'fishing' spearhead 25 inches long, see attached image, came with the club.
My Regards,
Norman.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
Head of a spear in the Plymouth Museum with two of three wooden barbed heads remaining attributed to New Guinea.
Regards,
Norman.

[jaxonrice]

I looked at this club in detail when it came up on auction last week. Like Tim I originally actually thought that the club may be Sudanese, but the wooden spear and the bamboo and rattan barbed spear (not shown in this thread) that came with the lot indicated that it was indeed probably from Papua New Guinea.

[Tim Simmons]

The fact that they were bought together does not mean that they were collected at the same time or place. They could have come from a person's eclactic collection of junk.

[Norman McCormick]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

The fact that they were bought together does not mean that they were collected at the same time or place. They could have come from a person's eclactic collection of junk.

True, true.

P.S. The rattan barbed spear is actually an arrow.

[colin henshaw]

I think this club can be attributed to Southern Sudan (perhaps Nuba), based on the following observations :-

a) PNG stone-headed clubs have the shaft protruding further from the end of the stone, usually with rattan binding to both sides. The tip of the shaft (distal end), is often split and wedged to hold the stone securely.

b) The incised carving to the shaft is very similar to that on Tim's Sudanese wooden club.

c) The shaft looks very like the reed shafts found on Sudanese/Baggara spears, (perhaps re-used from a broken spear).

For interest I am attaching an extract from the 1935 "Sudan Notes and Records" by C W Beer, about the making of such clubs by the Nuba.

[Tim Simmons]

Excellent, great info Colin. What a good place this forum is!

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
Some stats, shaft 28 1/2 inches total length 31 inches, head diameter a little over 3 inches, head circumference 9 1/2 inches, head weight approx 20 ounces.
Regards,
Norman.

P.S. Plymouth Museum P.N.G. club total length 30 inches, diameter just shy of 4 inches.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
Photos attached of Sudanese Nuer club from the Pitt Rivers Museum.
Regards,
Norman.

P.S. This club stats just short of 21 inches long, just over 22 ounces total weight, head diameter 3 inches.