Massue, îles Marquises, Polynésie

Collection privée, acquis à Bruxelles

Please refer to the department, + 33 1 53 05 52 67, alexis.maggiar@sothebys.com
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Sculptée dans du bois de fer (casuarina equisetifolia), cette magnifique massue de guerre u'u s'impose par son volume remarquable, par la qualité de sa sculpture, la rareté de son iconographie, et par son parfait état de conservation - avec la ligature d'origine en fibres végétales finement tressées. 
Son décor biface, superbement mis en valeur par la profonde patine sombre, se compose de manière classique d'un fronton profondément incurvé, orné de part et d'autre de trois têtes de tiki sculptées en haut relief, dont deux forment les pupilles rayonnantes des "yeux solaires". Les bras écartés du tiki central tiennent les extrémités d'un bandeau ouvragé, le décor se ponctuant par un registre finement gravé.

Elle se distingue par les visages de profil gravés sur les arêtes latérales - rares- , et par l'exceptionnelle représentation d'un lézard, signifiant sur l'une des faces le corps du tiki central. Selon Gell (1998, p. 191), ces motifs, tatoués sur le corps ou reproduits sur des objets, représentent des atua (dieux), dans leur rôle tutélaire et protecteur.
Voir Hooper (2008, p. 163, n° 117) pour une massue comparable, ayant également conservé sa ligature, conservée au British Museum (inv. n° 1920,3-17,1). 

Marquesas Islands club, Polynesia

Carved from ironwood (casuarina equisetifolia), this magnificent u'u war club is distinguished by its remarkable volume, its sculptural quality and iconographic rarity, and its perfect state of preservation, with its original finely woven plant fibre binding still intact.

Its bifacial decoration, beautifully highlighted by the deep dark patina, is made up, in a conventional manner, of a deeply curved pediment, adorned on both sides with tiki heads sculpted in high relief. Two of these heads form the pupils of the radiating "solar eyes". The outstretched arms of the central tiki hold the ends of a decorated strip of finely carved motifs.

The offered lot is distinguished by the rare faces in profile which are carved on the lateral edges and by the exceptional representation of a lizard which appears on one side of the body of the central tiki. According to Gell (1998, p. 191), these designs, tattooed on the body or reproduced on objects, represent atua (gods), in their role as guardians and protectors.

See Hooper (2008, p. 163, no. 117) for a comparable club in the British Museum (inv. no. 1920,3-17,1) which also retains its original binding.