MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS 4: SAMOA

kronckew · 7th July 2014, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue lander

The price wasn't too bad, less than $100, and I'm actually fairly happy with it as a hand made decorative piece. The auction description said it was made of vesi wood, I wonder if it really is.

I've uploaded the photo from the auction and it looks like it's propped up on the same rock as several of the clubs from your post. I don't think it'd be too much of a stretch to assume any club with a similar picture was made in Indonesia as well. The "Made in Indonesia" sticker is very small and lightly glued to the bottom of the handle so an unscrupulous seller could easily remove it.

i found a similar one on e-pray. unfortunately i did not find your post before that. reasonably nice display club, evident rough carved tool marks, stained black then carved to show a light brown wood underneath. sold as 'samoan' and again, vesi wood. i suspect the wood probably would look better unblacked as a nice grain appears in the carved bits. 20 inches, hemp wrapped grip. 354 grams. luckily fairly cheap, especially compared to the other offerings of hawaiian shark toothed koa wood.

nice 'made in indonesia' sticker. easily removed. surprised hawaiian vendor didn't bother to remove it, while he needs to update his online descriptions, at least he left the sticker on. i think i'll stick to maori clubs for the moment

i'll do a bit more caveating of my emptors in future.

blue lander · 7th July 2014, 03:21 PM

I was half tempted to return mine, but I decided to keep it since as you say it looks nice and it appears to be hand made. I don't recommend playing with it much, the hemp wrapped around the handle is just glued on, and will eventually slide off if you handle it too much.

ward · 7th July 2014, 05:28 PM

Barry,

Your pics and posts are invaluable.

thanks

kronckew · 7th July 2014, 05:30 PM

re:hemp wrap.

i noticed that, mine was loose at the front already, and only the last few turns near the 'pommel' end were glued. i tightened it as much as i could & soaked tre cord in a 50:50 mix of outdoor acrylic wood glue & water, gluing it further to itself as well as the handle. seems to have worked. been debating whether to give it a hand rubbed boiled linseed oil finish as the wood appears a bit dry. the edges of the main section are sharper than i expected. they would definitely hurt if used. i am however not intending to go into battle with it.might kill a melon tho...

i thought the axe shaped ones were a bit too touristy. i now note they may be closer to the real thing

p.s. - i photoshopped out the traditional perch rock, it was same as yours!

p.p.s. - i just was struck by the last photo in vanadoo's post no. 38 above. the artist must have been scared by a viking longship. looks just like one of their dragon figureheads.

is this evidence the viking made it to the south pacific? thor heyerdahl, where are you when we need you?

dvpriem · 11th July 2014, 11:13 PM

My father was on the SS Mariposa and went to Samoa and Fiji in 1935. He brought back a club. It does not look like a tourist item and he said it was an authentic "war club". Based on clubs I have seen on this site, and those with simple designs and some simple ribbing, I think it may be Samoan. Can anyone enlighten me whether if it is Samoan and what "type" of club it is? Club is 30 inches long.

kronckew · 3rd August 2014, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvpriem

.. Can anyone enlighten me whether if it is Samoan and what "type" of club it is? Club is 30 inches long.

it does look like others in this thread. i'm not one of the experts, hopefully one will be along soon to classify it. looks like a nice one tho.

VANDOO · 4th August 2014, 03:04 AM

dvpriem YOUR CLUB DOES APPEAR TO BE OF SAMOAN ORIGIN AND MOST CLOSELY MATCHES THE BANANA LEAF FORMS. UNFORTUNATELY MOST OF THE PICTURES IN THIS POST UNDER THE BANANA LEAF FORM ARE FROM TONGA. YOUR EXAMPLE IS A BETTER EXAMPLE OF THE SAMOAN INTERPRETATION OF THE FORM. IT DOES NOT HAVE THE SUSPENSION LUG ON THE BUTT AND HAS A SET OF RIDGES AND THE WHITE SHELL INLAY THAT IS COMMON ON WW2 AND OLDER SAMOAN CLUBS. CONGRATULATIONS ITS A NICE EXAMPLE OF THE FORM AND LOOKS TO BE WW2 OR OLDER
PIC'S OF A COUPLE MORE EXAMPLES OF SAMOAN ITEMS.
1. 27 IN.LONG. CLUB
2. 45 IN. LONG DANCE SPEAR 1960'S
3 & 4 & 5. 29 IN. LONG CLUB UNUSUAL NOTCHED STRIKING/THRUSTING END.

VANDOO · 18th November 2014, 02:18 AM

A FEW MORE SAMOAN CLUBS FOR REFRENCE.
#1. & #2. 20 INCH L. SHORT CLUB
#3. 19TH CENTURY CLUB/ SWORD, 33INCH LONG, BLADE 14.5 IN. NIFO-OTI TRADE BLADE.
#4. 32.5 IN. SAMOAN WOODEN SWORD CLUB
#5 & # 11, SMALL SAMOAN SOUVINER CLUB DATED 1942, UPOLU WESTERN SAMOA
#6. & #7. SAMOA CIRC 1850 TO 1899 , 76 CM. LONG UNUSUAL UNILATERAL TOOTHED FORM
#8 THRU # 10. 67 CM. LONG

7th July 2014, 03:21 PM	#2
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	I was half tempted to return mine, but I decided to keep it since as you say it looks nice and it appears to be hand made. I don't recommend playing with it much, the hemp wrapped around the handle is just glued on, and will eventually slide off if you handle it too much.

7th July 2014, 05:28 PM	#3
ward Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 637	Barry, Your pics and posts are invaluable. thanks

7th July 2014, 05:30 PM	#4
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,216	re:hemp wrap. i noticed that, mine was loose at the front already, and only the last few turns near the 'pommel' end were glued. i tightened it as much as i could & soaked tre cord in a 50:50 mix of outdoor acrylic wood glue & water, gluing it further to itself as well as the handle. seems to have worked. been debating whether to give it a hand rubbed boiled linseed oil finish as the wood appears a bit dry. the edges of the main section are sharper than i expected. they would definitely hurt if used. i am however not intending to go into battle with it.might kill a melon tho... i thought the axe shaped ones were a bit too touristy. i now note they may be closer to the real thing p.s. - i photoshopped out the traditional perch rock, it was same as yours! p.p.s. - i just was struck by the last photo in vanadoo's post no. 38 above. the artist must have been scared by a viking longship. looks just like one of their dragon figureheads. is this evidence the viking made it to the south pacific? thor heyerdahl, where are you when we need you? Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 7th July 2014 at 05:45 PM.

11th July 2014, 11:13 PM	#5
dvpriem Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 1	Possible Samoan War Club My father was on the SS Mariposa and went to Samoa and Fiji in 1935. He brought back a club. It does not look like a tourist item and he said it was an authentic "war club". Based on clubs I have seen on this site, and those with simple designs and some simple ribbing, I think it may be Samoan. Can anyone enlighten me whether if it is Samoan and what "type" of club it is? Club is 30 inches long. Attached Images

4th August 2014, 03:04 AM	#7
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	dvpriem YOUR CLUB DOES APPEAR TO BE OF SAMOAN ORIGIN AND MOST CLOSELY MATCHES THE BANANA LEAF FORMS. UNFORTUNATELY MOST OF THE PICTURES IN THIS POST UNDER THE BANANA LEAF FORM ARE FROM TONGA. YOUR EXAMPLE IS A BETTER EXAMPLE OF THE SAMOAN INTERPRETATION OF THE FORM. IT DOES NOT HAVE THE SUSPENSION LUG ON THE BUTT AND HAS A SET OF RIDGES AND THE WHITE SHELL INLAY THAT IS COMMON ON WW2 AND OLDER SAMOAN CLUBS. CONGRATULATIONS ITS A NICE EXAMPLE OF THE FORM AND LOOKS TO BE WW2 OR OLDER PIC'S OF A COUPLE MORE EXAMPLES OF SAMOAN ITEMS. 1. 27 IN.LONG. CLUB 2. 45 IN. LONG DANCE SPEAR 1960'S 3 & 4 & 5. 29 IN. LONG CLUB UNUSUAL NOTCHED STRIKING/THRUSTING END. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 4th August 2014 at 03:23 AM.

18th November 2014, 02:18 AM	#8
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	A FEW MORE SAMOAN CLUBS FOR REFRENCE. #1. & #2. 20 INCH L. SHORT CLUB #3. 19TH CENTURY CLUB/ SWORD, 33INCH LONG, BLADE 14.5 IN. NIFO-OTI TRADE BLADE. #4. 32.5 IN. SAMOAN WOODEN SWORD CLUB #5 & # 11, SMALL SAMOAN SOUVINER CLUB DATED 1942, UPOLU WESTERN SAMOA #6. & #7. SAMOA CIRC 1850 TO 1899 , 76 CM. LONG UNUSUAL UNILATERAL TOOTHED FORM #8 THRU # 10. 67 CM. LONG Attached Images