Vanuatu Fern Roof Spire-Malekula-Melanesian Art-Oceanic Art
Of all the Malekula fern figures and roof spires there was really only one I always admired. I came across it time to time as I leafed through old auction catalogs. It was in a black and white photo from a Parke Bernet sale in New York on 11 October 1968, lot 144. Last month fate brought this very piece into my hands. I love its early style with a deeply grooved and highly stylized face. There is a long lizard clinging to the back of the head. The piece dates to the early 20th century or before, stands 43” (109.2 cm) in height.