Lot 59
CEREMONIAL PADDLE
RAIVAVAE, AUSTRAL ISLANDS, 19TH CENTURY
Auction: 28 May 2026 from 13:00 BST
Description
carved wood, densely carved with geometric motifs throughout, the paddle blade leading to a long cylindrical shaft and a rounded pommel sculpted with dancing figures
Dimensions
114.9cm long
Footnote
“Ra'ivavae, in the Austral Islands, was a renowned centre for carving and in particular for the production, with introduced iron tools, of intricately decorated paddles. These appear not to have been made before 1820 but were created in large numbers over the subsequent twenty years in response to the interests of mariners in acquiring 'curiosities' as souvenirs and for sale in their home ports. Over a thousand examples are known to exist in museum collections.”
Brunt, P., et al. (2018) Oceania, London: Royal Academy of Arts, p. 306