A UNUSUAL SHARKTOOTH TOOL

[colin henshaw]

Hi VANDOO

Apologies for being negative, ...they did make knuckleduster type weapons in Hawaii, but my gut feeling is that this is a fairly recent hobbyist production, or something made for selling.

Though it looks well made, using traditional material.

[VANDOO]

FROM THE PICTURES I THOUGHT THE SAME AND EXPECTED SOMETHING MORE RECENT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. BUT AFTER TAKING A CLOSE LOOK THRU THE MICROSCOPE IT LOOKS OLD. THE HAIR CORD IS OLD AND BRITTLE AND FRAYED THE FIRST TWO SHARK TEETH ARE WORN WHICH TAKES A LOT OF USE AS THEY ARE HARD. THE WOOD SHOWS WEAR AND AGE DISCOLORATION AND THERE ARE GROOVES IN SOME AREAS THAT LOOK LIKE THE MARKS LEFT WHEN USING RATS TEETH FOR CARVING TOOLS. THE TWO FINGER HOLES LOOK REMARKABLY ROUND BUT ARE NOT PERFECTLY ROUND THEY SHOW NO EVIDENCE OF MODERN TOOLS. THE HOLES IN THE SHARK TEETH APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN MADE WITH PRIMATIVE TOOLS AND NO TWO ARE ALIKE.
IF IT IS A RECENTLY MADE REPLICA MADE FOR SALE THE ONE MAKING IT WAS AN EXPERT AND HE REALLY KNEW HIS STUFF AND PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT. THE ONLY THING I SEE THAT LOOKS MORE RECENT IS WHAT APPEARS TO BE SHELLAC OR SOMETHING ON THE END KNOTS ON THE HAIR CORDS LIKELY TO PUT THERE TO PRESERVE THEM.
NEW OR OLD I LIKE IT AND HOPEFULLY WITH LUCK WE WILL SEE A GOOD PROVENANCED EXAMPLE TO BE FOUND SO WE CAN IDENTIFY THE FORM AND USE OF THE ITEM AND PERHAPS EVEN THE ORIGIN.

[fearn]

I've seen some lovely modern shark-tooth weapons made from koa wood in shops in Maui and Hilo. Gorgeous things, impeccably crafted by native Hawaiians, but very modern. I'm with those who think this is a modern production. The ancient Hawaiians didn't have the drills to make those beautiful round holes, and their knuckledusters were wrapped around the hand with sennit.

It may indeed be associated with the (still-extant) martial art of Lua, but if so, it's a modern weapon, not an antique one.

F

[Sajen]

Sorry, I am disagree with the ones who think that this item is rather recent. What I can see from the pictures, the wood have a lot of wear. And I have respect to the eyes of a long time collector of ethnograhic items. The bindings from hair I never suspect to see by a recent item. And btw, I have seen nearly perfect drilled holes in sometimes very hard materials made from natives with simple tools.

Regards,

Detlef

[VANDOO]

I AM LUCKY TO HAVE ACCESS TO BOTH MODERN AND OLD ITEMS IN MY COLLECTIONS SO CAN DO COMPARASONS. THE USE OF A GOOD MICROSCOPE ALLOWS ME TO MAKE PROFESSIONAL OBSERVATIONS AND COMPARISONS. THOUGH I AM NOT A LICENSED CONSERVATOR I HAVE MADE OBSERVATIONS FOR MANY YEARS OF MANY ETHINOGRAPHIC ITEMS WEAPONS BEING A SMALL PORTION THEREOF. I HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF SHARK TOOTH AND OTHER TYPES OF FISH TEETH AND BONE WEAPONS AND A FEW TOOLS AVAILABLE BUT THIS ITEM WE DISCUSS HERE IS NEW TO ME. HANDELING THE ITEM I SUSPECT IT TO BE A TOOL OR CEREMONIAL ITEM FOR REASONS STATED ABOVE NOT A WEAPON. PERHAPS THE BISHOP MUSEUM OR ONE OF THE OTHER BIG MUSEUMS MAY HAVE AN EXAMPLE IN THEIR EXTENSIVE COLLECTIONS OR REFRENCES. I AM LIMITED IN BOTH FIELDS IN COMPARISON BUT DO THE BEST I CAN. THE HAIR LOOKS HUMAN AND IS TOO BRITTLE WITH AGE TO HAVE BEEN WORKED RECENTLY I COMPARED IT TO SEVERAL MANDAU I HAVE WITH HUMAN HAIR THAT ARE AROUND 150 YEARS OR OLDER. THE DUST SEEN IS NOT ARTIFICIALLY ADDED MUD OR GRIME AS I OFTEN SEE IN ITEMS FROM CHINA AND NEW GUINEA.
ATTACHED IS A LITTLE TABLE EXHIBIT OF TOOTHED WEAPONS I BROUGHT TO TIMONIUM IN 2007

[fearn]

There are a lot of ways to make hair brittle (it's worth asking a woman about this, as things as simple as sun, dyeing, and blowdrying make hair very brittle), and I've got some tiger shark teeth I purchased years ago on eBay for a shark's tooth weapon I never got around to making.

Sorry, I don't buy that this is old. The design simply isn't old. As others have noted, it's a half-way decent knuckleduster. However, if it's been artificially aged, I'll change my opinion about whether it was created as a Lua tool or art piece, and start thinking darker thoughts.

F

[VANDOO]

OK YOU WIN, DISREGARD ALL I HAVE POSTED ON IT.
PERHAPS ITS A MINNIEHUNI KNUCKLEDUSTER FROM HAWAII
IF IT IS A RECENT FAKE THEY DID THE BEST JOB I HAVE EVER SEEN AND SOLD IT WAY TOO CHEAP FOR THE WORK THAT WENT INTO IT ONLY A FEW HOURS PAY AT MC DONALDS WOULD PAY FOR IT. FROM THE PICTURES I THOUGHT IT WAS RECENT WHEN I BOUGHT IT BUT IT INTERESTED ME AND THE WORKMANSHIP LOOKED GOOD THE PRICE WAS RIGHT AND NO OTHER BIDDERS SO I TOOK A CHANCE. THE ITEM IS EXTREAMLY SMALL, DELICATE AND FRAGILE. I JUST HOPE TO FIND OUT IF IT IS A KNOWN ARTEFACT AND WHAT IT IS AND ITS USE.
IF IT IS A MODERN FANTASY ITEM MADE USING VERY SOPHISTICATED PRIMATIVE TOOLS, METHODS AND ADVANCED AGEING TECKNIQUES SOMEONE VERY SKILLED SURE WORKS CHEAP AND I WOULD LOVE TO HIRE THEM TO MAKE ME A FEW REPLICA ITEMS THAT ARE USUALLY FAR OUT OF MY PRICE RANGE.