Solomon Island Napa Dance Club-Melanesian Art-Oceanic Art
This is a good early Solomon Islands Napa dance wand from Santa Cruz Island that comes from the famous Josef Mueller Collection of Solothurn Switzerland—his daughter Monique and her husband Jean-Paul Barbier started the Barbier-Mueller Museum in Geneva. The present dance wand was sold at Christie’s London, 20 March 1979, lot 192. It was then acquired by Leo and Lillian Fortess Collection of Honolulu and then into the Meder Collection of Philadelphia. The piece dates to the late 19th century, has great stylized faces and remains of fiber tassels along the sides. The patina is dark brown and aged. It is 35 1/8” (89.2 cm) in height.