Oceania, French Polynesia, Marquesas Islands, ca. mid-20th century CE. A striking hand-carved wooden object, likely from the Marquesas Islands, presenting a paddle-shaped form that may have served as a ceremonial canoe ornament, dance staff, or prestige object. The top is sculpted with a bulbous anthropomorphic head projecting outward, below which the shaft is richly incised with curvilinear and geometric motifs characteristic of Marquesan artistry. Two pairs of stylized ancestral figures are rendered in openwork along the shaft, their large heads and simplified limbs evoking protective or ancestral spirits. Size: 54.5" L x 5.25" W (138.4 cm x 13.3 cm)

Provenance: private Tucson, Arizona, USA collection, acquired between 1950 and 1985

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Item # 195683

  • Condition: Good. Some minor chips and abrasions. Discoloration and patina to surface, otherwise good condition.

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by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
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$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000