Franklin Collection Middle Sepik Suspension Hook-New Guinea Oceanic Art
This fine Middle Sepik River suspension hook is probably Iatmul culture. It has a beautiful and sensitively rendered face with eyes that tail off to the side. At the bottom there is a small, sweet crocodile grasping the base of the hook. On the reverse there is a lug carved out on the back of the head. The hooks show extensive wear from the weight of the ritual items suspended there. The piece from an old Los Angeles estate and was purchased from the dealer Harry Franklin in the 1960s. There is a small paper tag with one side illegible but the other has “O 156” written on it. The hook dates to the late 19th/early 20th century, is 28 7/8” (73.5 cm) in height.