Rennell island club

[Tim Simmons]

Picked up this Solomon island club which I believe to be from Rennell island and most probably a ww2 bring back. When I have it I will show it next to others. The Japanese occupation is only 16 years on from the "Malaita Massacre" so good traditional weapons would still be found at that time. 38 inches long.

[fearn]

Nice!

[Tim Simmons]

At last it is here. It is not as square sectioned as the original photo suggests. It is more a narrow paddle form of diamond cross section. The unravelling of the weaving where your hands grip is a shame, but does show that it is far from an abandoned play thing. The material in the weaving is like straw with a shiny surface, it is not thin cane or bamboo. There is no way I can redo the weave. I do not have the skill or material to match. I have as a protective measure whipped over {reversable} the damage with rafia somewhat crudely but sympathetic I hope? The patina under the weave is pretty good but to remove the weave would be wrong? Interesting history to Rennell Island. I show it with some like minded chums. Interesting contrast in patina?

[colin henshaw]

With that rectangular, "key" type incised pattern, this club could in fact be from South America, probably Brazil ?

[Tim Simmons]

Thank you Colin. That thought had crossed my mind and at times I felt sure I had a picture of a similar exmaple from Brazil but when I could not find it I fell back on the Solomons. The thing is, I do have a smaller club of the same diamond narrow paddle form which is definately from the Peruvian/Brazilian Amazon as it was collected there by the person I bought it from.
Another collector made a visit my collection as you have and on seeing it informed me that big versions were also made in the area. It could be that now I have one. The addition of white substance inlay is common to the Amazom just as much as it is in the South Pacific regions. I will post some more pictures to add more visual information as soon as I can..

All the other pictures I have of South American clubs are of no help here. They do have white inlay and I have many picture of varrious product like stools, rattles and baskets with block key type decoration. If anybody has any intersting pictorial reference on South American/Amazon clubs please post it here.

[VANDOO]

I LIKE THE CLUB THERE ARE QUITE A FEW POSIBILITIES AND ITS HARD TO PIN DOWN. THE ID. OF RENNEL ISLANDS SEEMS TO BE IN FREQUENT USE THESE DAYS AND MOST ITEMS ON EBAY SEEM TO BE SOURCED IN AUSTRALIA. QUITE A LOT OF THE RENNEL ISLANDS CLUBS ARE OF THE SMALL FLANGED VARIETY AND ARE RECENT. YOUR EXAMPLE SHOWS SOME AGE AND WEAR AND IS AN UNCOMON FORM SO IS LIKELY NOT JUST SOMETHING RECENT MADE TO FLOG TO THE TOURISTS. I WOULD BE SOMEWHAT SUSPECIOUS OF ITS ORIGIN AS RENNEL ISLAND THE UNUSUAL DESIGN ON THE BLADE AND THE WOVEN FIBER DESIGN MAY HELP YOU PIN IT DOWN.
HERE ARE PICTURES OF 2 CLUBS SIMULAR IN FORM TO YOUR EXAMPLE AND A CLOSEUP OF FIBER WORK, ALL ARE SOLOMON IS.

[Tim Simmons]

This picture has been taken from a commercial site. I do not think we are to use direct links. If the use of the picture is a problem then please {mods} deal with as you see fit.

This club is said to be from Guiana, but what makes the modern Guianas also has a huge border with Brazilian Amazon. The club is again of similar form. More interesting to me is the {pommel} end. The size is between the two clubs I have.

I could be thinking that Colin is right about a South American origin which I have to say pleases me greatly.

[Tim Simmons]

Another form. 2cm longer than my club from NE Brazil.
http://americanindian.si.edu/searchc...id=Club&page=2

[colin henshaw]

Here are a couple of clubs from the book "Indios Del Brasile" 1983.

[Tim Simmons]

Thanks for the input Barry and Colin. I think perhaps the club that started the thread may well be South American.

However this arrived this morning, Christmas treat to myself. No doubt to where it came from. May well have been made on other Solomon Islands. Not the oldest club in the world most probably 1930s but wow what exellent condition!!! Not one of the modern repro minature versions. 1.225kg the same as the club shown with it. It does not feel the same weight because the displacement is very different. A fine way to end the year. Merry Christmas to all.

[VANDOO]

THAT WOULD APPEAR TO BE A VERY NICE AND LARGE EXAMPLE OF WHAT I REFERRED TO AS A FLANGED STYLE RENNEL ISLANDS CLUB. IT ALSO SHOWS A BIT OF PATINA AND WEAR WHICH IS NOT PRESENT ON THE RECENT ONES OFTEN FOUND ON EBAY. THE OTHER CLUB LOOKS LIKE IT MAY HAVE TONGAN INFLUENCE BUT THERE IS NOTHING DEFINITE ENOUGH TO SAY SO FOR SURE.
I STILL SUSPECT A OCEANIC SOUTH PACIFIC ORIGIN FOR YOUR FIRST CLUB THE SHAPE OVERALL CLOSELY RESEMBLES THE SECOND ONE IN MY PICTURE OF 4 CLUBS. IT HAS BINDING IN THE SAME AREA THE BUTT CLOSELY RESEMBLES YOUR EXAMPLE AS DOES THE GENERAL FORM. THE OTHER 3 CLUBS IN THE PICTURE HAVE THE INCISED LIME FILLED DESIGNS. I HAVE SOUTH AMERICAN CLUBS WITH DESIGNS BUT VARIOUS DYES OR PAINTS WERE USED, LIME WAS NOT USED.
I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE DESIGNS ON YOUR EXAMPLE AND THEY ARE ONES I HAVE NOT SEEN ON CLUBS. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN PIN ITS ORIGINS DOWN BY LOOKING ART VARIOUS ART AND DESIGNS IN THE AREA TO HELP PIN IT DOWN. THEY ARE UNIQUE ENOUGH TO STAND OUT IF YOU CAN RUN ACROSS THEM IN ETHNOGRAPHIC ART REFRENCES. GOOD LUCK

[Tim Simmons]

People, I am beginning to think that Colin was on the money here with a South American origin. This block/key pattern seems to much of a coincidence also I do not recognize this iconography with what is called Oceanic work. This could well make me a very happy man.