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LOT 0254

19th C. Hawaiian Kou Wood Heirloom Dish w/ Old Repair

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North Pacific, Hawaii, ca. 19th century CE. An impressive heirloom dish, hand-carved from the wood of a kou tree. Boasting a lustrous burnish, the gorgeous vessel presents thick walls that rise gently upwards from a round yet stable base to a low rim. Rich hues of caramel and butterscotch with chocolate brown striations swirl along the natural woodgrain surface, nicely complementing the vessel's minimalist form. Size: 9.7" in diameter x 1.7" H (24.6 cm x 4.3 cm)

Hawaiian royalty often valued specific dishes - even going so far as to name them after royal individuals - and until the early 19th century they were reserved for elites in society. Prior to the 19th century, they were made with stone and coral tools, carved from kou, milo, and kamani trees most commonly. Repaired wooden plates like this one demonstrate signs of immense reverence - the dish was loved enough to be repaired, and the repairs, like this one, were done with the desire to make the repair itself beautiful.

Native to coastal regions of the Hawaiian Islands, Kou can grow up to 25 feet across and 50 feet tall. The tropical tree was prized by Hawaiian royalty for food vessels due to both the beauty of its wood grain and its inability to corrupt the taste of food. Due to the majority of the Kou population being destroyed by moths in the 1800s, its wood is now considered a rare delicacy.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired from 1995 to 2010

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#166530
Condition Report: Collection label on base. Old repair of ovoid shape to basin. A few expected abrasions, commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, excellent.

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07 Oct 2021
USA, Louisville, CO
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[ translate ]

North Pacific, Hawaii, ca. 19th century CE. An impressive heirloom dish, hand-carved from the wood of a kou tree. Boasting a lustrous burnish, the gorgeous vessel presents thick walls that rise gently upwards from a round yet stable base to a low rim. Rich hues of caramel and butterscotch with chocolate brown striations swirl along the natural woodgrain surface, nicely complementing the vessel's minimalist form. Size: 9.7" in diameter x 1.7" H (24.6 cm x 4.3 cm)

Hawaiian royalty often valued specific dishes - even going so far as to name them after royal individuals - and until the early 19th century they were reserved for elites in society. Prior to the 19th century, they were made with stone and coral tools, carved from kou, milo, and kamani trees most commonly. Repaired wooden plates like this one demonstrate signs of immense reverence - the dish was loved enough to be repaired, and the repairs, like this one, were done with the desire to make the repair itself beautiful.

Native to coastal regions of the Hawaiian Islands, Kou can grow up to 25 feet across and 50 feet tall. The tropical tree was prized by Hawaiian royalty for food vessels due to both the beauty of its wood grain and its inability to corrupt the taste of food. Due to the majority of the Kou population being destroyed by moths in the 1800s, its wood is now considered a rare delicacy.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired from 1995 to 2010

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#166530
Condition Report: Collection label on base. Old repair of ovoid shape to basin. A few expected abrasions, commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, excellent.

[ translate ]
Sale price
Unlock
Estimate
Unlock
Time, Location
07 Oct 2021
USA, Louisville, CO
Auction House
Unlock
View it on