Kanak Club-Melanesian Art-Oceanic Art
Of the Kanak clubs of New Caledonia this shorter blade turtle head example is much scarcer than the more elongated bird head. This is a superb one with a dark chocolate brown glossy patina with an early provenance. It was originally sold from the Dr. Allan Roos Collection of New York by Sotheby Parke Bernet on 13 December 1975, lot 165. From there it went into the Leo and Lillian Fortess Collection of Honolulu. The club dates to the late 19th century or before, is 26 ¾” (67.9 cm) in length.