- 6
A RARE WOODEN SHOVEL, NEW SOUTH WALES,
Estimate
7,000 - 10,000 AUD
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Description
- Length: 84 cm
carved in hardwood, the oval shaped concave bowl replete with fine adze markings to the front and back, the shaft of oval section tapering to a finely adzed point, old shiny patina overall
Provenance
The Holt Collection and thence by descent
Condition
In excellent condition. No damage, restoration or repairs.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE 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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Cf. For extensive discussion and illustrations of related examples in the collections of national and state museums see Massola, A., 'The Wooden Shovels of the Aborigines of South-Eastern Australia', in Mankind: Official Journal of the Anthropological Societies of Australia, published by The Anthropological Society of New South Wales, Sydney, vol. 5, no. 7, April 1959, pp.289-296.
This rare and exceptional artefact was believed by Holt to be one of the most important and valuable items in his collection, and as a result it was the one artefact he withheld when he offered the highlights of his collection at Sotheby's in 1983. This shovel is very similar to two examples collected in the Dubbo region, published by Massola in Mankind
In the Mankind article Mr H. O'Sullivan White, a surveyor with the Lands Department of New South Wales, observed in the year 1849 while camped on the banks of the Macquarie River: 'where the town of Dubbo now stands,... when an old black fellow belonging to a tribe who is camped nearby, happened to die. He was buried on a sand-hill about a mile from the river. After burial "They (the natives) then described a circle around the grave, taking the grave for a centre, about sixteen feet in diameter, and then, with small wooden spades made from the myall wood (used by them for grub hunting to dig along the roots of the gum trees, exposing the hole of the grub, etc.) carefully removing the earth from within the circle, and formed with it a dome shaped mound over the grave... Part of Dubbo must now stand where this tomb was carefully raised."' (ibid.)
This rare and exceptional artefact was believed by Holt to be one of the most important and valuable items in his collection, and as a result it was the one artefact he withheld when he offered the highlights of his collection at Sotheby's in 1983. This shovel is very similar to two examples collected in the Dubbo region, published by Massola in Mankind
In the Mankind article Mr H. O'Sullivan White, a surveyor with the Lands Department of New South Wales, observed in the year 1849 while camped on the banks of the Macquarie River: 'where the town of Dubbo now stands,... when an old black fellow belonging to a tribe who is camped nearby, happened to die. He was buried on a sand-hill about a mile from the river. After burial "They (the natives) then described a circle around the grave, taking the grave for a centre, about sixteen feet in diameter, and then, with small wooden spades made from the myall wood (used by them for grub hunting to dig along the roots of the gum trees, exposing the hole of the grub, etc.) carefully removing the earth from within the circle, and formed with it a dome shaped mound over the grave... Part of Dubbo must now stand where this tomb was carefully raised."' (ibid.)