South Pacific, Fiji, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A hand-carved wooden tapa beater with four faces - some of which have retained their incised vertical grooves which further aided in the pounding process - and a tapering, tubular handle. Tapa is a type of bark cloth that is made in the South Pacific Islands, mainly Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji, but also as far afield as Hawaii and New Zealand. The cloth is of great social importance and is often given as a gift; however, prior to the introduction of synthetic fabrics, it was also used for everyday wear. Tapa was also introduced to the western world in the late 18th century by Captain Cook's first expedition, where it was collected under the direction of Joseph Banks and brought to Europe. Size: 17.2" L x 1.8" W (43.7 cm x 4.6 cm)

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection, ex D. Herwig Herzum bad Homberg, Germany

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#142257

Small area of loss to bottom of handle as shown. Nicks and a few stable hairline fissures to beater head and handle. Nice smooth surfaces throughout.