Maori Pendant, New Zealand

Te Aho te Whanapu (presumably fl. mid-late 19^th century), Rangiriri, Waikato
Private Collection
Sotheby’s, London, July 3, 1989, lot 53, consigned by the above
Howard and Jane Cohen, Baltimore, acquired at the above auction

This small hei tiki is accompanied by a canvas label, seemingly of late 19th century date, with the following inscription:

hei-tiki-formerly belonged to Te Aho te Whanapu of Rangariri [sic] a chief celabrated [sic] in history of the [???] of commander of the Rangariri [???] at the time of the Waikato war – he was taken prisoner and sent to Hawaii from which he escaped. He is still living in Rangariri and is a very old man. He is also a Tohunga of Tawhiao. This hei-tiki descended from his ancestors of which he easily traces back for 7 generations. No. 396.