- 92
Maori Whalebone Club (patu), New Zealand
Estimate
7,000 - 10,000 USD
bidding is closed
Description
- whale bone
- Length: 15 3/4 inches (40 cm)
Provenance
Marcel Delplace, Brussels
Private Belgian Collection, acquired from the above in the 1970s
Private Belgian Collection, acquired from the above in the 1970s
Condition
Very good condition for an object of this type and age. Bone is porous as seen in catalogue illustrations. Minor marks, nicks, scratches, and abrasions consistent with age and use. A series of short, shallow horizontal scratches on one side. Surface rubbed. Hole for tether is worn.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Kjellgren (2007: 312) notes: "One of the principal weapons of Maori warriors was the patu, a teardrop-shaped hand club used to strike a thrusting or slicing blow to the head or torso of an opponent during hand-to-hand combat. The clubs were typically made from wood, whalebone, or grayish stone [...] When not in use, patu were suspended from the wrist by a loop or worn at the waist thrust into a belt. Patu served as symbols of authority and martial prowess as well as practical weapons. Joseph Banks, who accompanied Captain James Cook to Aotearoa in 1770, noted this symbolic role of Maori patu: 'The principal people seldom stirrd [sic] out without one of them [a patu] sticking in his girdle ... insomuch as we were almost led to conclude that in peace as well as war they wore them as a war-like ornament in the same manner as we Europeans do swords."
The present patu, carved from a wide piece of whalebone, is of unusually large scale, with an elegant profile and painstakingly-smoothed surface. Typically for a classic Maori patu, its weight is carefully balanced, providing the user with an efficient pendulum and striking surface countered by the weight of the rounded grip.