Lot 30
BOOMERANG
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Auction: 26 November 2025 at 14:00 GMT
Description
carved wood and earth pigments, of typical curved and tapered form, with fine vertical fluting throughout, raised on a bespoke mount
Dimensions
62.5cm long
Provenance
Francois Coppens, Belgium, acquired on the European art market
Footnote
The boomerang is one of the most recognisable tools from Australia. It refers to a variety of curved wooden throwing weapons used across the continent. While the returning boomerang is well known for its ability to fly back to the thrower, most boomerangs were designed not to return. These were mainly used for hunting and fighting, capable of causing serious injury to animals or people they struck. Some designs, like the hooked boomerang, could bounce off the ground and hit targets with great force. Boomerangs were often decorated with carvings or painted patterns, which sometimes affected how they moved through the air.