statue for id please
 

could identify you this statue. .it is very heavy black wood, it is 98cm high by 25cm wide.
It is being eroded in many place... It is old, I recovered it in a cellar...
It looks like a dayak drawings I've seen on some shields?
any idea is welcome

one photo

ITS LIKELY TO BE A GUARDIAN STATUE REPRESENTING A POWERFUL ANCESTOR OR SPIRIT. THESE WERE PLACED AT THE ENTRANCES OF VILLAGES OR DWELLINGS TO KEEP EVIL SPIRITS FROM ENTERING. THEY WERE WIDELY USED THRU-OUT POLYNESIA AND MOST OCEANIC ISLAND GROUPS IN VARIOUS FORMS AND DESIGNS. I WOULD GUESS YOUR EXAMPLE TO BE EITHER INDONESIAN OR PERHAPS FROM BORNEO (DAYAK OR BATAK PEOPLES). IN BORNEO THEY ARE REFERRED TO AS HAMPATONGS IN THE WEST OFTEN REFERED TO AS TIKIS.

thank vandoo for info

ITS FROM PNG
 

HI ITS A CRUDE ANCESTRAL FIGURE,MOSTLY FOR THE TOURIST MARKETS ,LOWER SEPIK REGION,PAPUA NEW GUINEA

I am admittedly no expert on these, however, when i searched out the "real" ancestral figures from this part of the world they are pretty much ALL "crude" carvings. It does seem that they are most often carved of ironwood, so that might be one clue to actual intent. While i do realize that people fake all kinds of things this item at least appears to have spent some real time in the elements as a true ancestral figure would. So i am not yet convinced this is a tourist item. Being a crude carving does not seem to be a sign of fakery with such item though. :shrug:
https://www.google.com/search?q=hamp...w=1401&bih=838

I see nothing of sepik style in this statue.

Hello David,

...searching out the "real" figures...
Are you referring to GOOGLE pictures ? hence probably the "... " :)
Google will show you everything and includes, old / new / genuine / fake etc.

Hampatongs are as far as I know always made of iron wood or similar extreme heavy hardwood, and indeed I fully agree that they are generally crude carvings.

There is difference in quality and style.
And this statue is IMVHO not a very estetically attractive example.

The fangs and protruding tongue are typical dayak, as well as the style of the forehead and eyes.
What seems abnormal on this statue are the hands. they are very big compared to hands on other dayak statues.
1 hand around the torso is also something I have never seen before.

It indeed looks like it has spent a lot of time outside. yet it also looks like somebody has varnished it, is this correct ?

Best regards,
Willem

hi willem
This statue is very heavy I think iron wood...It is not varnished surely a reflection of the picture! or treatment for insects that I passed!
What and it is what is old wood shortages and damage by insects..In addition she was in a family for several decades of year!
are weight is 13kg

Thanks Willem. No, of course i did not intend to imply that ALL the images that came up in the Google search were the real deal. Just wanted to give Mr. 27 a launching pad to search from. Many of the real items as i searched were for sale through galleries and this seemed like the best way to direct folks to images without breaking forum rules about posting images for sale. But there seems to be plenty of the real deal in that gallery of photos and links. :shrug:

tap on google kebayan old statue or statue borneo
many dayak similar statue

Hello,

I think it's very very difficult to judge such a Dayak statue just only from pictures. When you have visited Bali some times you will know that you can see in antique shops a lot of similar statues. 99,99% are fakes, some are very good worked and you need to be an expert to see that it is a fake. I don't want to suggest that this is a fake but the potential is great.

Regards,
Detlef

I know it is the case of African objects and other countries, I often travel in Africa and I also see thousands of masks statues ect... that are fake!
However this statue just a very old house or bought not evil of ancient weapons, these are people who had traveled at the beginning of the last century. I saw this statue without paying attention long... and one day I bought it!
I'm no expert can be that it is a fake but! There is a small chance

In this case there is a good chance that it is indeed an original! :)

Regards,
Detlef