A GROUP OF HATS AND BOXES, NYISHI AND NAGA, NAGALAND AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH, NORTH-EAST INDIA

Comprising two Nyishi woven cane hats, one with a steel plaque running over its upper edge, a loop of woven hair attached to the upper surface; a wooden head fillet with bands of woven cane decoration; and four carved wood boxes, one in the form of a pillow and another in the form of a tent, possibly with leather lid

Some wear and minor losses from several, notably the fillet, as viewed.
"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."

The woven cane hats would have acted as the base for more embellished headgear. In this form they are most likely to be from the Nyishi tribe in Arunachal Pradesh though Naga tribes used woven cane hats as well, though usually of a more pointed shape. The additional adornments, such as boar's tusks, mithan horns and bird feathers, are determined by tribal practice and the status and activities of the individual within the tribal structure. Examples from the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the Pitt-Rivers Museum, Oxford, are illustrated in Jacobs 1990, pp.219-227.

The boxes appear to have been intended more for domestic rather than ritualistic use, such as containers for tobacco. Frequently, these boxes adopt miniaturised forms of familiar Naga day-to-day objects (Jacobs 1990, p.339).