19th C. Indonesian Buffalo Horn Spoon w/ Bird Finial

Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Timor Island, Tetum, ca. late 19th to mid-20th century CE. A wonderful spoon, skillfully carved from the horn of a buffalo to present a shallow, ovoid bowl and a lengthy, curved stem or handle, intricately carved with an elaborate openwork design. The remarkable handle is comprised of 8 openwork S-shaped motifs, all arranged in pairs with a concave, circular grip at the center. Both the front and back of the handle are additionally adorned by carefully incised decoration of spotted, zigzag, and geometric designs. A petite finial in the form of a bird head projects from the end of the handle, serving as a charming finial. Size: 9.1" L x 2.1" W (23.1 cm x 5.3 cm); 9" H (22.9 cm) on included custom stand.

Ritual spoons like this example are typically carved by Timorese men. According to the Dallas Museum of Art, "The splendidly decorated ritual spoons were found over a much larger area than West Timor. The most impressive specimens, often adorned with beautiful openwork carving, are probably those of the Tetun in Central Timor. An interesting feature of their decoration is the frequent use of human figures, as well as the bird motif. Both subjects are sometimes rendered in high relief, and in some rare cases the human figures are even partially three-dimensional. These human shapes probably had a meaning comparable to that of the birds, signifying that the deceased had said his farewells to the community and was now a part of the realm of the ancestors."

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, 1995 to 2010; ex-Ami Brown collection, New York, USA, 1950 to 1970

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.

#168583
Condition Report: Expected nicks and abrasions throughout, commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, intact and excellent with rich patina.