War Shield, Massim Area, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

Stanley Gordon Moriarty, Sydney, presumably collection in situ (inv. no. M177)
Todd Barlin, Sydney
Graven Images, New York
Arte Primitivo, New York, December 11, 2000, lot 318
Abraham Rosman and Paula Rubel, New York, acquired at the above auction

Decorated war shields were rare in the Massim Area, as they were reserved only for the bravest and most daring warriors. Today, only about one hundred or so vayola shields are still known to exist. Indeed, the intricately detailed designs on this shield, incised and painted in red ochre, white lime, and black pigment, indicate the exceptional quality of this object. The design is focused around a central oval form, flanked by two birds. Two rosettes top this section, with two vertical striped lines ending in a third rosette, which serves as a central point in a downward-facing crescent shape at the top of the shield. The background is covered with small, repeated, rectangular patterns. This convex, oval shield that widens at the base, still retains its original cane handles, which are threaded through the center of the piece.