A kanta shield for restauration

Roland_M · 24th May 2015, 02:15 PM

Hi Detlef,

very nice shield and a long way to restore it. I have some old wooden items from Africa and my first step is to apply a special furniture wax to the surface.
It is a mixture of carnauba wax and bee wax with a low viscosity. It makes the surface darker and brings a beautiful shine on it. Old wood is often totally dried out, the wax is very important to avoid further cracks and increase the liftetime of the item dramatically.
This wax is also a very good treatment for horn surfaces.

Regards Roland

Sajen · 24th May 2015, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roland_M

Hi Detlef,

very nice shield and a long way to restore it. I have some old wooden items from Africa and my first step is to apply a special furniture wax to the surface.
It is a mixture of carnauba wax and bee wax with a low viscosity. It makes the surface darker and brings a beautiful shine on it. Old wood is often totally dried out, the wax is very important to avoid further cracks and increase the liftetime of the item dramatically.
This wax is also a very good treatment for horn surfaces.

Regards Roland

Hi Roland,

thank you for comment. When the wood isn't to dry I am not a fan of waxing shields. I have a good collection of shields from the Moluccas and not one of them has get a waxing. We will see the condition of the wood when it arrived. Only in the case that the wood is extremly dry it will get a coating of wax.

Best regards,
Detlef

Battara · 25th May 2015, 12:10 AM

What a great buy. I wouldn't mind one of these myself. Good luck with all the bone and hair inserts. I've done both in the past (and will again on another piece soon) and it is definitely time consuming.

VANDOO · 25th May 2015, 12:51 AM

CONGRATULATIONS ITS NOT OFTEN COLLECTORS OF LIMITED MEANS ARE ABLE TO ACQUIRE SUCH A TREASURE AT A PRICE WE CAN AFFORD.

WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN IT ALWAYS BRINGS A LOT OF PLEASURE.
ITS GOOD THAT THERE IS SOME INLAY PRESENT TO SEE IF IT IS BONE OR SHELL AND WHAT SPECIES OF COWRIE SHELL WAS USED. THE BODY OF THE SHIELD LOOKS INTACT SO JUST ADDING THE HAIR , SHELL AND OTHER INLAY AND PERHAPS A TOUCH UP OF THE BLACK HERE AND THERE SHOULD HAVE THIS SHIELD LOOKING FIRST RATE. GOOD LUCK WITH IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE FULL RESTORATION.

Sajen · 25th May 2015, 10:02 AM

Thank you both for your kind words. And yes, it will need time to bring it back to old glory. And I think that the pictures are a little bit overexposed and that the surface of the shield is still more black as the pictures may suggest. In the book "Shields" from Benitez & Barbier on pages 156/157 is shown such a shield and it is stated that the inlays are from bone.
This shields coming from Central Northern Sulawesi, Gulf of Tomini or Kulawi. It's also stated that this type of shield is no longer produced in the twentieth century. But it seems unclear to which ethnic group this shields can be attributed: "Kaudern gives it as 'Kulawi', the brothers Paul and Fritz Sarasin attribute it to the Topebato ethnic group, while Albert Grubauer places it among the Tobela who inhabit an area to the east of Sa'dan Toraja. Kaudern (1917-20: fig. 122) goes as far as to state that it could be found among the Minahassa living in the northeast of what used to be Celebes."

* Shields Africa, Southeast Asia and Oceania, Benitez & Barbier

For Gulf of Tomini see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tomini

Sajen · 25th May 2015, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VANDOO

GOOD LUCK WITH IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE FULL RESTORATION.

Hello Barry,

it will need time but be sure that I will post pictures soon as the shield is restored.

Regards,
Detlef

asomotif · 25th May 2015, 09:40 PM

Hello Detlef,

Nice catch indeed.
The rattan across the front and around the edges seems to be all there.
That is a great plus.

I would suggest to start with restoring the bone inlays and the nassa shells, and than take some time to see if that gives a satisfying result.

I think that by restoring the hair, there is a big risk that it will get a "too new" or "too obviously restored" appearance.

Good luck anyway , and would love to see the results in due time.

Best regards,
Willem

Sajen · 25th May 2015, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asomotif

Hello Detlef,

Nice catch indeed.
The rattan across the front and around the edges seems to be all there.
That is a great plus.

I would suggest to start with restoring the bone inlays and the nassa shells, and than take some time to see if that gives a satisfying result.

I think that by restoring the hair, there is a big risk that it will get a "too new" or "too obviously restored" appearance.

Good luck anyway , and would love to see the results in due time.

Best regards,
Willem

Hello Willem,

thank you and a very good suggestion and something what I've in mind also.
I've download all pictures from kanta shields I've found in the net and by nearly all is hair and also some of the inlays from bone and the nassa shells missing. I think to start with the bone inlays, this will give the shield already a much better appearance. Most of the nassa shells are present and maybe I don't will recruit to much of them. The same with the hair, I don't think it will be good to "refill" all empty holes, like said, the above shown shields missing hair as well. But a little bit more as it has in the moment will be ok to let it look good again.

Best regards,
Detlef

25th May 2015, 10:02 AM	#5
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,165	Thank you both for your kind words. And yes, it will need time to bring it back to old glory. And I think that the pictures are a little bit overexposed and that the surface of the shield is still more black as the pictures may suggest. In the book "Shields" from Benitez & Barbier on pages 156/157 is shown such a shield and it is stated that the inlays are from bone. This shields coming from Central Northern Sulawesi, Gulf of Tomini or Kulawi. It's also stated that this type of shield is no longer produced in the twentieth century. But it seems unclear to which ethnic group this shields can be attributed: "Kaudern gives it as 'Kulawi', the brothers Paul and Fritz Sarasin attribute it to the Topebato ethnic group, while Albert Grubauer places it among the Tobela who inhabit an area to the east of Sa'dan Toraja. Kaudern (1917-20: fig. 122) goes as far as to state that it could be found among the Minahassa living in the northeast of what used to be Celebes." * Shields Africa, Southeast Asia and Oceania, Benitez & Barbier For Gulf of Tomini see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tomini Last edited by Sajen; 25th May 2015 at 10:15 AM.

24th May 2015, 02:15 PM	#1
Roland_M Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Germany Posts: 525	Hi Detlef, very nice shield and a long way to restore it. I have some old wooden items from Africa and my first step is to apply a special furniture wax to the surface. It is a mixture of carnauba wax and bee wax with a low viscosity. It makes the surface darker and brings a beautiful shine on it. Old wood is often totally dried out, the wax is very important to avoid further cracks and increase the liftetime of the item dramatically. This wax is also a very good treatment for horn surfaces. Regards Roland

25th May 2015, 12:10 AM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	What a great buy. I wouldn't mind one of these myself. Good luck with all the bone and hair inserts. I've done both in the past (and will again on another piece soon) and it is definitely time consuming.

25th May 2015, 12:51 AM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	CONGRATULATIONS ITS NOT OFTEN COLLECTORS OF LIMITED MEANS ARE ABLE TO ACQUIRE SUCH A TREASURE AT A PRICE WE CAN AFFORD. WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN IT ALWAYS BRINGS A LOT OF PLEASURE. ITS GOOD THAT THERE IS SOME INLAY PRESENT TO SEE IF IT IS BONE OR SHELL AND WHAT SPECIES OF COWRIE SHELL WAS USED. THE BODY OF THE SHIELD LOOKS INTACT SO JUST ADDING THE HAIR , SHELL AND OTHER INLAY AND PERHAPS A TOUCH UP OF THE BLACK HERE AND THERE SHOULD HAVE THIS SHIELD LOOKING FIRST RATE. GOOD LUCK WITH IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE FULL RESTORATION.

25th May 2015, 09:40 PM	#7
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,228	Hello Detlef, Nice catch indeed. The rattan across the front and around the edges seems to be all there. That is a great plus. I would suggest to start with restoring the bone inlays and the nassa shells, and than take some time to see if that gives a satisfying result. I think that by restoring the hair, there is a big risk that it will get a "too new" or "too obviously restored" appearance. Good luck anyway , and would love to see the results in due time. Best regards, Willem