War Shield, Bahinemo, Middle April River, Upper Sepik River, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

Lynda Cunningham, New York, acquired in situ in the late 1960s or early 1970s

The Graduate School and University Center, the City University of New York, Ancestors and Dream Time People: Art of New Guinea, the New Hebrides, and Australia, February 14 - March 3, 1972

Lynda Ridgway, Ancestors and Dream Time People: Art of New Guinea, the New Hebrides, and Australia, New York, 1972, pl. 17

Very good condition overall. Minor nicks, scratches, abrasions and chips throughout. Losses in places and water marks to the front of the shield as visible. Has custom made stand. Fine original patina.
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.

There are similarities in form between shields from a number of different peoples living in the Upper Sepik region, including the Saniyo, who live along much of the Wogamush River, part of the middle Leonard Schultze River, and the west bank of the middle April River, and the Bahinemo, who live on the east bank of the middle April River and in the Hunstein Range. As Craig notes, "the practice of attributing to shields to rivers rather than to particular settlements or peoples on those rivers has been confusing. This has come about because explorers, government officers and traders travelled along the rivers that were the tribal boundaries in pre-contact times and the people moved their villages from inland locations to the rivers banks" (Beran and Craig, eds., Shields of Melanesia, Adelaide, 2005, p. 81). Following this practice, shields of similar form to the present lot have tended to be identified simply as "April River".

We may attempt a more precise identification in this case, noting the close correspondence of this shield with Craig's description of the characteristics of Bahinemo war shields, known as tiah. As with the present shield, these shields are of generally oval shape with horizontal handles attached to two or four vertical ridges carved at the rear of the shield. Craig notes that the design "is usually framed with dentates, a continuous zigzag or a series of small chevrons [...and] the central part of the design [is] a vertical repetition of faces with a column of spirals on each side [...]" (ibid., p. 82). In the present shield these features are notable for their bold and deeply carved graphic quality and the expressive quality of the faces, the design executed in perfect harmony with the beautiful undulating form of the shield itself.