Gamble by a member here?

[katana]

Was hoping this Wahaika had gone un-noticed ( since it was listed as African) and I was going to pick this up 'for a song'.....no such luck. E-mailed seller and his description of weight etc certainly suggested that this was could be genuine (as in used,probably ceremoniously... late 19thC ? or a 'top of the range' tourist version.
I had previously searched for other examples on the web, most of which were of the tourist variety....this Wahaika was heavier and slightly larger than all of them, and the carving was more of a traditional form.

The Wahaika is one of the many forms of fighting club used by Maori warriors and was reserved for only the highest ranking and most respected fighters. It is often given as a ceremonial piece on special occasions.
The carved figure on the edge represents either a sacred ancestor or the god of war. The Wahaika was held so that the figure faced the warrior so it could see over his shoulder to protect his back. The notch in the front edge of the blade was used to trap an enemy fighters weapon so that it could be twisted away from the body leaving the opponent open to a fatal blow

Many Austrolasian clubs have, recently, been selling at incredibly high prices...

Regards David

[VANDOO]

THE CLUB IS DEFINITELY MAORI AND OF THE WAHAIKA FORM THE SIZE RANGE ON THE MAORI SHORT CLUBS IS FROM 10 TO 20 INCHES APROXIMATELY I ESTIMATE THIS ONE AT 18 INCHES. THE CLUB IS UNUSUAL IN THAT IT HAS A MORE POINTED END RATHER THAN THE USUAL SPATULATE FORM. THERE IS A LESSER ENCOUNTERED MAORI CLUB THE PATUKI THAT HAS A MORE POINTED PADDLE SHAPE TO THE THRUSTING END. THE TIKI OR FIGURE IS UNUSUAL IN THAT THE FIGURE IS USUALLY TOGETHER TOWARD THE HANDLE, THIS EXAMPLE IS EITHER SPLIT HEAD FROM BODY OR PERHAPS IS TWO SEPARATE HEADS? I HOPE SOMEONE IN THE GROUP GOT IT AND WE CAN GET SOME BETTER PICTURES AND INFORMATION. A VERY INTERESTING ITEM PERHAPS A ORIGINAL BUT FROM THE PICTURES I SUSPECT 1930'S CEREMONIAL OR TOURIST. A NICE CLUB AT ANY RATE AND CONSIDERING THE PRICES BEING PAID THESE DAYS NOT A BAD DEAL EVEN IF IT IS A GOOD HEAVY 1930'S MODEL.

FIGURE 28 IS A PATUKI.
FIGURE 29 & 30 ARE KOTIATE
FIGURE 31 ARE VARIATIONS OF THE WAHAIKA FORM

MY PICTURE OF THE PATU FORM DID NOT LOAD TOO LARGE. IT IS THE MOST PLAIN FORM AND IF MADE OF WOOD, BONE OR LESSER STONE IS REFERED TO AS A PATU IF MADE OF JADE IT IS CALLED MERE OR MERE PONAMU AND IS THE MOST HIGHLY RANKED OF ALL CLUBS SHORT OR LONG.

[VANDOO]

I WILL TRY AGAIN TO ADD A PATU FORM, A MERE PONAMU (JADE) AND A KOTIATE PONAMU AND A WAHIKA PONAMU , I DON'T KNOW IF THE LAST TWO JADE FORM CLUBS ARE A OLD FORMS OR SOMETHING MADE LATER SO WEATHER THEY WOULD QUALIFY AS MERE I DON'T KNOW

I HAVE ALSO ADDED TWO PICTURES OF THE ORIGINAL CLUB BEING DISCUSSED FOR REFRENCE.

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

MY PICTURE OF THE PATU FORM DID NOT LOAD TOO LARGE.

Barry, Thanks for the info on the cubs. This is obviously an area that you know very well.

I suggest a very good free resizing utility. Easy to use with the Windows operating system. Distributed by Microsoft.

Scroll down the right side for a lot of free downloads. Select "image resizer."

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...powertoys.mspx

I use it in the 800x600 size. When I do this, I get the added benefit that it makes the files size less than 100kb when I am resizing a 2mb image. A very useful utility!

[Tim Simmons]

This first picture is very good giving two views of what is to me is a sculptural masterpiece.



I may be a little unrealistic but I just find the price of the reproduction? even if there is some vintage way off sensible, for something lacking the essence which one desires. However I think I am aware that an earliy one/real one may indeed cost many £££££££, thousands sadly.

[VANDOO]

IN THE ART, INVESTING COLLECTING MARKET OF TODAY I AM A LITTLE MOUSE AMOUNG LIONS AND ELEPHANTS AS FAR AS MONEY AVAILABLE, BUT STILL TRY AND SNEAK OUT AND GRAB A CRUMB FROM TIME TO TIME.

THIS HAS CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO LOWER MY STANDARDS SO IN ORDER TO COLLECT ANYTHING AT ALL, I WILL BUY A NEWLY MADE REPLICA IF IT IS WELL MADE AND AT A REASONABLE PRICE.
HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF A RECENTLY MADE MUSEUM REPLICA MADE OF CAST PLASTIC. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE EVEN BEEN OUTBID SEVERAL TIMES ON THESE AS I CAN'T BRING MYSELF TO PAY $90.00 TO $100.00 FOR A PLASTIC CLUB NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT LOOKS.

[VANDOO]

HERE ARE SOME MORE RECENT 1960'S TO NEW WOOD MAORI CLUBS. SOME HAVE PUA SHELL (ABALONE) INLAY AND SOME ARE ONLY CARVED ON ONE SIDE AND PLAIN ON THE OTHER. THESE EXAMPLES ARE FOR THE TOURIST MARKET AS ARE THE CAST PLASTIC ONES.

FORTUNATELY THE MAORI PEOPLE ARE STILL KEEPING THEIR CULTURE, BELIEFS, CEREMONYS, TRADITIONS AND CRAFTS ALIVE. THEY STILL HAVE PRIDE IN ALL THE OLD TRADITIONS, ALTHOUGH NOT PRACTING THEIR OLD TRADITIONAL WARFARE YOU CAN STILL SEE IT IN HAKA'S AND SPORTS
WOOD CARVING IS A HONORABLE TRADITION AND VERY IMPORTANT IN THEIR CULTURE, ITS BELIEFS AND CEREMONY. A GOOD CARVER NOT ONLY GETS RESPECT AS AN ARTIST BUT AS A WARRIOR AND KEEPER OF THE OLD TRADITIONS. MANY GOOD CARVEINGS ARE STILL DONE FOR MAORI MEETING HOUSES AND FOR THE MAORI PEOPLE NOT JUST TO SELL. MAORI ARE ALSO GOOD TRADERS AND BUSINESS MEN SO THEY DO TRY TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR SOUVINEERS ALSO.

[Tim Simmons]

Hard chease squeak squeak, how fine it must be to roar .