Solomon Islands club opinions?

Tim Simmons · 9th March 2014, 04:37 PM

This looks very nice. Does have some age.

manteris1 · 9th March 2014, 05:38 PM

Nice Tim, how long is it, could you give us photo on the butt ..................jimmy

VANDOO · 9th March 2014, 07:30 PM

A VERY NICE EXAMPLE AND IT DOES SHOW SOME AGE. THE ONES I HAVE SEEN ARE USUALLY ATTRIBUTED TO RENELL ISLAND IN THE SOLOMONS. ALL OF THEM I HAVE SEEN HAVE BEEN SHORT CLUBS USUALLY AROUND 15 INCHES GIVE OR TAKE. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AN ANCIENT FORM OR POST WW2 OR IF IT IS CEREMONIAL IN NATURE OR FOR WAR USE. I THINK THE BLADED HEAD IS A MORE MODERN FORM AND THUS CEREMONIAL BUT THATS JUST MY OPINION NOT SOMETHING BASED ON RESEARCH. NO MATTER A VERY ATTRACTIVE FORM EVERYONE WHO LIKES CLUBS SHOULD HAVE ONE.

RECENT MADE ONES SHOW UP ON EBAY SO I THINK THEY ARE STILL BEING MADE FOR THOSE WHO TRAVEL. YOUR EXAMPLE IS OLDER THAN WHAT I USUALLY SEE. A FEW EXAMPLES OF SIMULAR FORMS OF SHORT CLUBS FROM THE AREA.
#1. A 11 IN. RENNEL ISLAND CLUB OLD FORM
#2. 36 CM. L. SAID TO BE 1930'S
#3. 44 CM. l. MILNE BAY AREA
#4. RENNEL. IS. SOLOMON IS. RECENT MANUFACTURE
#5. #6, #7, 45 CM. SOLOMON IS.
#8. SOLOMON IS. WW2
#9. SOLOMON IS.

Tim Simmons · 10th March 2014, 09:58 AM

Thank you, it is rather eye catching. I have to wait for arrival. In the meantime I have made a rough picture percentage size difference with one I already have, 47cm long and 37cm long. Although shorter, the new one is more chunky and about the same weight 1kg+ I could believe them both to be from around the first quarter of the 20th century. If items are well curated they could be possibly be earlier. When I have it I shall continue with more follow up information.

Tim Simmons · 17th March 2014, 07:24 PM

It is here and I have to say it is quite nice. It has excellent balance in the hand. Much better than the larger item in the earlier thread, which is 130 g heavier being 1.092 kg
It has good age but some damage to the grip which is a real shame. If one was of a mind too, this could be sorted in some way. I am adding some information only snippets but enlightening. The figure carvings are added to show contrast between the new and traditional styles. The postcard is circa 1910. Headhunting ended around 1900. The decline in value of traditional culture meant some decline in artworks and the development of others. No long relevant much traditional artwork, along with new tourist market productions was sold to help fund missions and other projects. All these pictures {basic I know but lets keep it simple} have come from " Melanesia Art and encounter, the British museum" The black and white diagram relates to the axe in the afore mentioned publication and my new club. Also the picture of a chief, perhaps small Solomon clubs are not all made for suitcases.

Tim Simmons · 17th March 2014, 08:29 PM

The postcard is just like any English village, Anglican Church, table top sale.

Pinocchio · 11th April 2017, 05:49 AM

Dear Tim,

Could you tell me the references of the book where you got this old curios picture of the Solomon Islands ?

Thank you

Francois Gastine

colin henshaw · 19th March 2014, 08:19 AM

A good looking club, Tim. So presumably it was made for sale to Europeans ?

Tim Simmons · 19th March 2014, 04:46 PM

Not necessarily. Headhunting raids might well have been outlawed by 1900. Traditional weapons would still be in use.

Quote from "The British Museum, Melanesia Art and encounter"

Clubs today
Though today deadly violence on Malaita is much less common than in the past, Kwaio and some other Malaitans still make and carry alafolo, subi and morimori. In Kwaio today most men go armed when away from thier hamlets, some still carry clubs (now often steel reinforcement rods), though most now simply carry machetes, which are also all-purpose work tools. However, many Kwaio have told me they would rather wield a club in a fight, even if they prefer to carry a lighter and more versatile machete day to day.

I do not know how significant it may be but the mother of pearl pattern on the handle of my clubs does correspond to the earlier ritual pattern form shown in the diagram in previous post. That and the apparent age of the club makes me rather hopeful that it is indeed a cultural artifact. The account of the Malaita Massacre 1927,

"Lightning Meets the West Wind- The Malaita Massacre- Roger M.Keesing/Peter Corris 1980 Oxford University press"

Mention is made of the abandonment and scattering of traditional weapons after the Kwaoi warriors were dispersed by armed police.

Picture of the club ends.

9th March 2014, 04:37 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Solomon Islands club opinions? This looks very nice. Does have some age. Attached Images

9th March 2014, 05:38 PM	#2
manteris1 Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 114	Nice Tim, how long is it, could you give us photo on the butt ..................jimmy

9th March 2014, 07:30 PM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	A VERY NICE EXAMPLE AND IT DOES SHOW SOME AGE. THE ONES I HAVE SEEN ARE USUALLY ATTRIBUTED TO RENELL ISLAND IN THE SOLOMONS. ALL OF THEM I HAVE SEEN HAVE BEEN SHORT CLUBS USUALLY AROUND 15 INCHES GIVE OR TAKE. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AN ANCIENT FORM OR POST WW2 OR IF IT IS CEREMONIAL IN NATURE OR FOR WAR USE. I THINK THE BLADED HEAD IS A MORE MODERN FORM AND THUS CEREMONIAL BUT THATS JUST MY OPINION NOT SOMETHING BASED ON RESEARCH. NO MATTER A VERY ATTRACTIVE FORM EVERYONE WHO LIKES CLUBS SHOULD HAVE ONE. RECENT MADE ONES SHOW UP ON EBAY SO I THINK THEY ARE STILL BEING MADE FOR THOSE WHO TRAVEL. YOUR EXAMPLE IS OLDER THAN WHAT I USUALLY SEE. A FEW EXAMPLES OF SIMULAR FORMS OF SHORT CLUBS FROM THE AREA. #1. A 11 IN. RENNEL ISLAND CLUB OLD FORM #2. 36 CM. L. SAID TO BE 1930'S #3. 44 CM. l. MILNE BAY AREA #4. RENNEL. IS. SOLOMON IS. RECENT MANUFACTURE #5. #6, #7, 45 CM. SOLOMON IS. #8. SOLOMON IS. WW2 #9. SOLOMON IS. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 10th March 2014 at 06:49 PM.

10th March 2014, 09:58 AM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Thank you, it is rather eye catching. I have to wait for arrival. In the meantime I have made a rough picture percentage size difference with one I already have, 47cm long and 37cm long. Although shorter, the new one is more chunky and about the same weight 1kg+ I could believe them both to be from around the first quarter of the 20th century. If items are well curated they could be possibly be earlier. When I have it I shall continue with more follow up information. Attached Images

17th March 2014, 07:24 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	It is here and I have to say it is quite nice. It has excellent balance in the hand. Much better than the larger item in the earlier thread, which is 130 g heavier being 1.092 kg It has good age but some damage to the grip which is a real shame. If one was of a mind too, this could be sorted in some way. I am adding some information only snippets but enlightening. The figure carvings are added to show contrast between the new and traditional styles. The postcard is circa 1910. Headhunting ended around 1900. The decline in value of traditional culture meant some decline in artworks and the development of others. No long relevant much traditional artwork, along with new tourist market productions was sold to help fund missions and other projects. All these pictures {basic I know but lets keep it simple} have come from " Melanesia Art and encounter, the British museum" The black and white diagram relates to the axe in the afore mentioned publication and my new club. Also the picture of a chief, perhaps small Solomon clubs are not all made for suitcases. Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 17th March 2014 at 07:47 PM.

17th March 2014, 08:29 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	The postcard is just like any English village, Anglican Church, table top sale.

11th April 2017, 05:49 AM	#7
Pinocchio Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 12	book references Dear Tim, Could you tell me the references of the book where you got this old curios picture of the Solomon Islands ? Thank you Francois Gastine

19th March 2014, 08:19 AM	#8
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	A good looking club, Tim. So presumably it was made for sale to Europeans ?

19th March 2014, 04:46 PM	#9
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Not necessarily. Headhunting raids might well have been outlawed by 1900. Traditional weapons would still be in use. Quote from "The British Museum, Melanesia Art and encounter" Clubs today Though today deadly violence on Malaita is much less common than in the past, Kwaio and some other Malaitans still make and carry alafolo, subi and morimori. In Kwaio today most men go armed when away from thier hamlets, some still carry clubs (now often steel reinforcement rods), though most now simply carry machetes, which are also all-purpose work tools. However, many Kwaio have told me they would rather wield a club in a fight, even if they prefer to carry a lighter and more versatile machete day to day. I do not know how significant it may be but the mother of pearl pattern on the handle of my clubs does correspond to the earlier ritual pattern form shown in the diagram in previous post. That and the apparent age of the club makes me rather hopeful that it is indeed a cultural artifact. The account of the Malaita Massacre 1927, "Lightning Meets the West Wind- The Malaita Massacre- Roger M.Keesing/Peter Corris 1980 Oxford University press" Mention is made of the abandonment and scattering of traditional weapons after the Kwaoi warriors were dispersed by armed police. Picture of the club ends. Attached Images