'club' thingy arrived today & is on it's way back to supplier.
when i unpacked it it was remarkably light. tinked it with my fingernail - it sounded like plastic. examining further, i could see in the detail near the lanyard hole where the mould hadn't filled fully. repacked it and sent it back.
luckily i'd ought it online with paypal & they will ensure i get a refund one way or another. dealer said her supplier told her he'd bought it at a bonham's sale so never looked closely.
shame, had a nice grain, sharp edge
i've since seen a couple of 'maori' clubs on ebay listed as 'vintage' that were duplicates of wood ones sold earlier this year, so i shall transfer my affections elsewhere for now.
'caveat emptor' works for dealers when buying as well as end users.