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LOT 2140
New Guinea Woven Cowrie Marriage Headdress
19TH-20TH CENTURY A.D.
32 1/2 in. (2 kg total, 82 cm including stand).
A long open ambuusap of closely woven fibre cords with small cowrie shells sewn to the outer surfaces in lines, terminating at the base in a crocodile head; typical of work from the Siakulen Blackwater Lakes region in Sepik Province; with a custom-made display stand. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired 1970s-1990s.
Ex property of an American gentleman.
Cf. Biebuyck D and Van den Abbeele, N., The Power of Headdresses, Brussels, 1984, p.228, pl.182, for similar and discussion.
FootnotesThese elaborate headdresses were worn by women on ceremonial occasions, such as marriage.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
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