19th C. New Caledonian Wood Ceremonial Axe, Stone Head

South Pacific, Coral Sea, New Caledonia (Nouvelle-Caledonie), Kanak people, ca. 19th century CE. A fine example of an ax known by the local Kanak peoples as an "O'kono," a ceremonial weapon that is passed between chiefs from one generation to the next. The wooden handle is wrapped with brightly colored blue and orange cloth as a decorative element, and the latticework orange stripes were meant to hold petite shells. The bottom of the handle is capped with a solid, hemispherical foot that acts as a weight, and secured to the top is a discoid greenstone fragment with a sharpened peripheral edge. Size: 6.125" W x 22.4" H (15.6 cm x 56.9 cm); 25.1" H (63.8 cm) on included custom stand.

For a strikingly similar example with a blade formed from jade, please see the Musee de Nouvelle-Caledonie, inventory number MNC 98.4.5.

Provenance: private Nevada, USA collection

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.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#150088
Condition Report: Loosening to some knotted cloth strands and panels on handle, with nicks to stone head, and minor tears to some textile areas, otherwise intact and excellent. Great patina throughout.