Extraordinaire poignard, îles Hawaii

pahoa, dont la poignée ajourée, semi-circulaire, se prolonge par une lame effilée munie de quatre épines de raie fixées en trois points par une ligature en sénite très finement tressée. Il a conservé une ancienne étiquette de collectionneur portant la mention « chief's dagger ».  Belle opposition entre la patine brune et profonde du bois dense, et la blancheur laiteuse des épines de raie.



Pahoa, the open-work, semi-circular handle of which extends into a tapered blade composed of four sting-ray spines, lashed together in three places with a finely braided binding. With an old label marked 'chief's dagger'. Beautiful contrast between the dark brown patina of the wood and the milky whiteness of the sting-ray spines.

Bedford Museum, Angleterre
K.J. Hewitt, Londres
Wayne Heathcote, New York
Collection Masco, USA
Sotheby's, New York, 17 mai 2002, n° 354

Reproduit et exposé dans:
Wardwell, Island Ancestors: Oceanic Art From the Masco Collection, 1994 : 251, catalogue de l'exposition, Detroit Institute of Arts, 11 juin - 6 août 1995

Wear consistent with age and use within the culture.
"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."

Le Capitaine Cook (1784, vol. 2 : 247) avait conclu à la fréquence des guerres sur les îles Hawaii en observant la grande quantité d'armes qu'il trouva en la possession des indigènes, et l'excellent état de conservation dans lequel elles étaient maintenues. Parmi ces armes de guerre, les lances, massues et frondes constituent des types communs à l'ensemble de la Polynésie. En revanche, le poignard – conçu en tant que tel – peut être considéré comme une intrusion locale (Buck, 1957 : 418).

Parmi le riche corpus des anciennes armes d'Hawaii, ce poignard se distingue par la beauté de sa forme et par le caractère – unique à notre connaissance – de sa conception. Il puise sa forme dans deux types anciens caractéristiques des îles Hawaii : poignée inspirée des « knuckleduster » sertis de dents de requins (cf. Kaeppler, 1978 : 107, n° 172 pour un exemplaire collecté par Cook et aujourd'hui conservé au Museum für Völkerkunde de Vienne) et pointe évoquant la ligne épurée des poignards (cf. n° 70 de ce catalogue).

Son type, la rareté et la beauté de sa forme, sa composition unique associant bois et épines de raie, et enfin sa provenance, placent ce poignard parmi les armes les plus exceptionnelles de la Polynésie.

Captain Cook (1784, vol. 2: 247) suggested that the frequent occurrence of wars amongst the Hawaiian Islanders could be inferred from the 'number of weapons which we found them possessed of, and from the excellent order these were kept in.' Amongst these weapons, lances, clubs, and slings were of types common to the whole of Polynesia. On the other hand, the dagger – conceived as such – can be regarded as a local intrusion (Buck, 1957: 418).

Amongst the rich corpus of old Hawaiian weapons, this dagger is distinguished by the beauty of its form and the nature of its design which, to the best of our knowledge, is quite unique. It takes its form from two old forms of weapon characteristic of the Hawaiian islands. The handle is inspired by a type of shark teeth 'knuckleduster', (see Kaeppler, 1978: 107, no. 172 for a specimen collected by Cook and now in the Museum für Völkerkunde, Vienna) and the sting-ray spines are arranged in a manner which evokes the pure lines of Hawaiian daggers (see lot 70).

The unique nature of its composition and form and its rarity and beauty make this dagger one of the most exceptional of Polynesian weapons.