Aboriginal Boomerangs-Tost & Rohu Museum-Oceanic Art
Here are two ancient Australian aboriginal boomerangs. The left example in aged dark brown wood has a wonderfully exaggerated curve that suggests it is from Victoria in Southeast Australia. There is a very old label indicating it was originally sold by the Tost & Rohu Museum in Sydney—that operated between 1886 and the late 1920s as an artifact shop, museum and taxidermy studio selling all manner of curiosities. The righthand boomerang is from South Queensland and has an equally old label that is even more difficult to decipher but does have an 1899 date on it. Looking closely there are a number of interesting creatures depicted on the surface—hunters, kangaroos, a bee or moth, an owl and insects. The left piece is 19 ½” (49.5 cm) and right is 24 1/8” (61.3 cm) in height.