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Tim Simmons
7th December 2015, 05:18 PM
Although on my beam ends I have managed to score this rather nice looking club. Not huge 22 inches approx, which is the size as the two Amazon examples shown. I am only posting one picture but from the rest I believe there is some age to the piece, a very good chance that it is pre- WW2 . Other pictures seem to show some neglect to the wood. I am no wood expert but I have found that if wood has had some age and patina hidden by neglect it can be retrieved unless severely damaged. I will do some follow up when I have it. Interesting that headhunting increased on European contact.

Info link.

http://australianmuseum.net.au/headhunters-from-roviana-solomon-islands-part-2

Headhunting in Roviana area stopped abruptly in the early 20th century as a result of colonial intervention. In 1909 Charles Morris Woodford, Resident Commissioner in New Georgia reported that headhunting had become largely ‘a thing of the past’.

fireiceviper
7th December 2015, 06:40 PM
hi Tim! You keep finding the good stuff! another nice find!

I'm not so sure about the age though, the inlay looks rather new from the pictures, could you post some close-up pictures ?

Still like it though, there seems to be a lot of Solomon island clubs lately and i believe there is no good reference for them (if anyone knows one please share!)

Tim Simmons
24th December 2015, 11:01 AM
At last it is here, UK customs can take what seems an age compered to travel time. Here are some daylight pictures. Does not have the patina I had hoped for but none the less it does have some age, certainly not antique in the strictest terms, even for the Solomons. However a handsome piece and very nice in the hand, shown with other clubs in the size range.

Tim Simmons
24th December 2015, 11:47 AM
Trying to capture the play of light on the shell.

Tim Simmons
6th April 2016, 11:09 AM
Form variation from AMNH.
https://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/databases/common/image_dup.cfm?catno=80%2E1%2F%201411