Admiralty Islands Bowl in the Shape of a Frigate Bird, Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea

Collected in situ by Étienne and Monique de Ganay during the La Korrigane expedition, 1934-36 
Deposited at the Musée de l'Homme, Paris, March 1939 (inv. no. "D. 39-3/1320")
Maurice Rheims and Philippe Rheims, Hotel Drouot, Paris, Voyage de "La Korrigane" en Océanie, December 4, 1961, lot 6
John J. Klejman, New York
Private Collection, acquired from the above in 1965

Good condition for an object of this age and rare type. Marks, nicks, scratches, and abrasions consistent with age. Some inherent flaws in the wood including a knot on the proper right side of the face of the bird. Age cracks to bottom of bowl running between feet and below the neck; these cracks with remnants of old fill. One age crack runs up through tail of bird at the second segment from the proper left side, glued and toned. A hole on either side of this crack inside the bowl, now filled, evidence of an previous repair. Surface toned in places. Aged, varied dark reddish brown patina with encrustation, partially polished. Rectangular paper label on the top of the tail with "ADMIRALTY ISLAND / 19CENT SAE - KI-KI [?]"; the underside with "D.39.3 / 132.0" in white paint and "7933" in red.
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.

On the 28th of March 1934 five affluent young French adventurers set out from Marseille aboard the schooner La Korrigane on a long voyage to the Pacific.  The five Korrigans ("goblins" in the Breton language) were Étienne de Ganay, his wife Monique, his sister Régine, her husband Charles Van Den Broek, and the photographer Jean Ratisbonne, a friend of the two couples.  Travelling with lettres de mission from the Musée de l'Homme in Paris, their trip was part cruise and part scientific expedition, an opportunity to visit lands which excited the Western imagination and to bring back objects which spoke of the material culture of the Pacific.

One of the last great amateur expeditions, it was perhaps also amongst the last able to gather such a large number of authentic artefacts.  The Korrigans arrived back in France with over 2,800 objects, some of which were exhibited at the new Musée de l'Homme in 1938, and which are now in the Musée du Louvre and the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris.  They also returned with extensive documentation regarding the objects, including 6,000 photographs, Régine de Ganay's sketchbooks, Monique de Ganay's scientific index of the objects collected and Charles Van Den Broek's written account of the entire trip.

For three closely related bowls cf. Sotheby's New York, December 13, 1975, lot 168A; Sotheby's London, July 3, 1989, lot 44; and Sotheby's New York, May 13, 2011, lot 191.