Lot 55
MAORI QUARTER STAFF, TAIAHA
NEW ZEALAND, 19TH CENTURY
Auction: 28 May 2026 from 13:00 BST
Description
carved wood, long tapering shaft terminating in an upoko with tongue extending out from the mouth, adorned with carved detail, dark glossy patination throughout
Dimensions
165cm long
Provenance
In the collection of Bo’ness Theatre, West Lothian, since at least in the mid-20th century
Footnote
Maori men of high birth wielded staffs as symbols of their social status. These staffs served various purposes, including enhancing oratory skills, engaging in hand-to-hand combat, and participating in ceremonial exhibitions. Additionally, they functioned as both parrying and sparring weapons for a martial art known as Mau taiaha, still taught and practised in New Zealand today. Certain staffs held significant importance, as they were believed to possess magical properties and were employed for divination purposes.