Batak Ritual Staff (Tunggal Panaluan), Sumatra, Indonesia

Christie's, Amsterdam, March 6, 1990, lot 326 (illustrated on the cover)
Private Collection, New York, acquired at the above auction

Very good condition for an object of this type and age. Minor marks. nicks, scratches, abrasions, small chips and losses consistent with age and use. Metal tip is loose and removable, with old glue. Fibers with fraying and small losses. Metal inlays in eyes possibly reglued. Proper right pupil missing. Exceptionally fine deep aged and encrusted patina with some remains of insect casings.
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.

According to Caglayan (2004): "The most powerful members of a Batak community are ritual specialists, known as datu. They are experts in religion, and are most often members of the village's founding family. These specialists, who are exclusively male, are able to cure the sick, contact the spirits of the dead, and predict auspicious days for particular events.  A datu's most important possession is his ritual staff, made of special wood that symbolizes the tree of life. Since a specialist is required to create his own staff, they vary widely in style and form. [...] Specialists 'animate' or activate the power of the figures by filling them with a magical potion, known as pupuk. This substance is considered to be extremely powerful and can be stored only in certain types of containers such as the hollow horns of water buffalo, wooden vessels, or Chinese trade ceramics."

Once complete, the ritual staff (Tunggal Panaluan) was used in important ritual procedures intended to ward off evil, protect the community, and predict the future.  The present staff is composed of two registers of stacked human figures intertwined with reptiles and fantastic creatures, separated by a smooth handle which is rubbed and worn from a long period of use.  Distinguished by the extreme complexity of its design and the exceptional quality of carving, the present Batak Tunggal Panaluan Ritual Staff is among the finest examples known, and bears a deep patina accumulated from repeated anointment of sacred materials.