A kanta shield for restauration

[Battara]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[Maurice]

Congratulations Detlef,

a nice and old kanta!

Here some (unfortunately bad) photos of a kanta from the Bronbeek museum in Arnhem, which I took about 5 years ago.

Best regards,
Maurice

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Maurice

Congratulations Detlef,

a nice and old kanta!

Here some (unfortunately bad) photos of a kanta from the Bronbeek museum in Arnhem, which I took about 5 years ago.

Best regards,
Maurice

Hi Maurice,

thank's! The one from the Bronbeek museum is very bulky and has a unusual design when you compare it to the other shown examples. And it has also missing inlays and hair. Thank you for showing this example again, it will help to restore my one.

Best regards,
Detlef