MĀORI HEI-TIKI PENDANT
NEW ZEALAND, 19TH CENTURY OR EARLIER
£11,875
Auction: 8 June 2022 at 14:00 BST
Description
carved and polished inanga pounamu, successive tapering perforation holes, with the original now worn through, the stone fine and quite translucent, with carved features, the head angled with recessed eyes originally for the insertion of shell inlays, the hands shown held to the legs, with two horizontal lozenges indicating the feet
Dimensions
10.5cm tall
Footnote
Note:
The surface wear and collapsed perforation on the present example suggest extensive use and age. The positioning of the original (now worn through) hole suggests it may have sat as a rounded tab above the head as found in a select number produced on the South Island (Austin:2020 p.129).