Club, Tonga Islands

'akau tau
length 43 1/8 inches (109.4 cm)

Provenance
Linda Ridgeway Cunningham, New York
Eileen and Michael Cohen Collection, New York
Michael Hamson Oceanic Art, Palos Verdes, California
Canadian Private Collection

Finely carved in classic form with a long cylindrical shaft leading to a flattened blade at the top; two raised ridges below the blade; the entire surface decorated with rectilinear patches in a checkerboard-like pattern with alternating zigzag and geometric design and a human glyph on the handle; an old 29cm long loss to one side showing significant age and use in battle; exceptional glossy dark brown patina.