The collection of New Guinea tribal artifacts began in the late 19th century during the period of European colonialism and exploration of the region. Many early collectors were anthropologists, missionaries, or colonial administrators who were interested in documenting the diverse cultures and societies of the region.

The first known collector of New Guinea tribal artifacts was Sir William MacGregor, the Governor of British New Guinea from 1895 to 1898. MacGregor was an avid collector of artifacts and ethnographic objects, and he acquired a large collection of New Guinea tribal artifacts during his time in the region. He was followed by other collectors, including the American anthropologist Margaret Mead, who conducted extensive fieldwork in the region in the early 20th century and amassed a significant collection of artifacts.

During the early 20th century, many New Guinea tribal artifacts were acquired by museums and private collectors in Europe and North America. These more...

46 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 150 cm length,…

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 150 cm length, collection of John Perkins

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 96 cm length,…

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 96 cm length, collection of John Perkins

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, with…

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, with traditional fine woven flax cord. 122 cm length, collection of John Perkins

Extravagantly large Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth…

Extravagantly large Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 470 cm approximate length, collection of John Perkins

A large Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 220 cm…

A large Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 220 cm length, collection of John Perkins

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 120 cm length,…

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 120 cm length, collection of John Perkins

A good Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace,…

A good Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, approximately 175 cm length

Impressive Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace,…

Impressive Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, binding coming loose in the middle. Approximately 450 cm long.

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 115 cm length

Papua New Guinea Warrior's 115cm Dog Tooth Necklace

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth necklace, 115 cm length

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth Necklace

PNG Dog Tooth Necklace: A Warrior's Treasure

A Papua New Guinea warriors dog tooth Necklace

A cowrie shell Wewak necklace, Papua New Guinea, used as a body…

Cowrie Shell Wewak Necklace from Papua New Guinea

A cowrie shell Wewak necklace, Papua New Guinea, used as a body adornment. Made with a 152 cowrie shells that have been bound together with plant fibre cord. Length 59 cm, width 3 cm

A Papua New Guinea Asmat Warrior's necklace, woven fibre with…

Asmat Warrior's Dogs Teeth Necklace

A Papua New Guinea Asmat Warrior's necklace, woven fibre with dogs teeth

A tribal necklace, dog's tooth, shell and string binding, Papua…

Tribal Necklace with Dog's Tooth and Shell Binding

A tribal necklace, dog's tooth, shell and string binding, Papua New Guinea, 63 cm long

Early 20th century Papua New Guinea necklace. Coloured glass…

Papua New Guinea Glass Necklace

Early 20th century Papua New Guinea necklace. Coloured glass rings (possibly from electrical insulators) graduated and lashed in traditional manner. Length 74 cm

Papua New Guinea dogs teeth band. Old crocodile teeth, once…

PNG Dog Teeth Band and Crocodile Necklace

Papua New Guinea dogs teeth band. Old crocodile teeth, once strung as a necklace. Also a beaded wide band of incised dog's teeth.

A kina shell necklace, Papua New Guinea, early 20th century,…

Papua New Guinea Kina Shell Necklace

A kina shell necklace, Papua New Guinea, early 20th century, shell with fibre cord, pendant 17.5 cm wide

A PNG boars' tusk necklace, the pair of tusks joined by woven…

Boars' Tusk Necklace with Woven Vine and Cord

A PNG boars' tusk necklace, the pair of tusks joined by woven vine, suspended from plaited cord.

A PNG small mask, fashioned from a turtle carapace and clay…

Turtle Carapace Mask Pendant with Shell Necklace

A PNG small mask, fashioned from a turtle carapace and clay inset with shells and with boar tusk pierced septum, suspended on a shell necklace, height 18 cm.

Traditional Papuan shell necklace on stand, 40 cm high, with…

Papuan Shell Necklace on Stand - 40cm High

Traditional Papuan shell necklace on stand, 40 cm high, with stand

A Papua New Guinea necklace, carved mother-of-pearl, set in…

Papua New Guinea Carved Mother-of-Pearl Necklace

A Papua New Guinea necklace, carved mother-of-pearl, set in sterling silver, on a pearl and silver beads necklace. Weight 125g

Papua New Guinea mask, necklace, cassowary feather bag and fly…

PNG Mask, Necklace, Bag & Whisk, 20th Century

Papua New Guinea mask, necklace, cassowary feather bag and fly whisk, 20th century, the mask 60 cm high

Traditional Papuan shell necklace on a metal stand, necklace 30…

Papuan Shell Necklace on Metal Stand

Traditional Papuan shell necklace on a metal stand, necklace 30 cm high, 29 cm wide

A carved tribal figure with shell eyes & Kina shell necklace,…

Tribal Figure from Japandie Village, Papua New Guinea

A carved tribal figure with shell eyes & Kina shell necklace, Japandie village, Sepik river, Papua New Guinea, height 138 cm

Traditional Papuan shell necklace on a metal stand, approx 50…

Papuan Shell Necklace on Metal Stand

Traditional Papuan shell necklace on a metal stand, approx 50 cm high including stand

A traditional Papuan shell and feather necklace on a metal…

Papuan Shell and Feather Necklace on Metal Stand

A traditional Papuan shell and feather necklace on a metal stand, approx 42 cm high

A matched pair of traditional Papuan shell necklace on stands,…

Traditional Papuan Shell Necklace Pair on Stands

A matched pair of traditional Papuan shell necklace on stands, each approx 40 cm high (including stand)

Traditional Papuan shell and feather necklace on metal stand,…

Papuan Shell and Feather Necklace on Metal Stand

Traditional Papuan shell and feather necklace on metal stand, approx 40 cm high including stand

A traditional Papuan shell necklace on stand, 44 cm high

Papuan Shell Necklace on Stand, 44cm High

A traditional Papuan shell necklace on stand, 44 cm high

Traditional Papuan shell & feather necklace on metal stand,…

Papuan Shell & Feather Necklace on Metal Stand

Traditional Papuan shell & feather necklace on metal stand, approx 42 cm high (including stand)

Traditional Papuan shell decorated necklace on stand, approx.…

Papuan Shell Necklace on Stand

Traditional Papuan shell decorated necklace on stand, approx. 42 cm high including stand

Traditional Papuan 'Teeth' necklace on metal stand, approx 44…

Papuan Teeth Necklace on Metal Stand (44cm)

Traditional Papuan 'Teeth' necklace on metal stand, approx 44 cm high

Traditional Papuan shell and feather necklace on stand, approx…

Papuan Shell and Feather Necklace on Stand

Traditional Papuan shell and feather necklace on stand, approx 38 cm high

Traditional Papuan necklace on metal stand, approx 44 cm high…

Papuan Necklace on Metal Stand

Traditional Papuan necklace on metal stand, approx 44 cm high including stand

Traditional Papuan necklace on metal stand, approx 70 cm high…

Papuan Necklace Display Stand

Traditional Papuan necklace on metal stand, approx 70 cm high (including stand)

Traditional Papuan shell necklace on a metal stand, approx 48…

Papuan Shell Necklace on Metal Stand

Traditional Papuan shell necklace on a metal stand, approx 48 cm high

Bag ofPapua New Guinea shell and seed necklaces with a glomesh…

PNG Shell and Seed Necklaces with Glomesh Bag

Bag ofPapua New Guinea shell and seed necklaces with a glomesh bag

A very important native rat tooth necklace, old label Reads…

Native Rat Tooth Necklace from New Guinea

A very important native rat tooth necklace, old label Reads 'Necklace made from flying fox teeth ( kapoul ) New Guinea 3.8.1925 ' 'The type of teeth are rat, a highly sought after food source in many parts of New Guinea, once I collected similar necklaces…

Five New Guinea body ornaments, including: a man's pig wealth…

New Guinea Body Ornaments: Pig Tally, Shell Necklaces, Seed Belt

Five New Guinea body ornaments, including: a man's pig wealth tally ornament, mount Hagen; a fine old Dani warrior's bailer shell necklace, Baliem Valley; two nassa shell and fibre ornaments, and a fine multi strand seed belt, Sepik. 25 - 86 cm (5)

A collection of eight shell and seeded ornaments, the main…

Shell and Seed Ornament Collection

A collection of eight shell and seeded ornaments, the main ornament being a large and fine bride price shell necklace from West New Britain with shell money dangles, plus various others. 40 cm (8)

Group of kukukuku adornments (6) dual tusk necklace with fibre…

Kukukuku Adornments with Pigs Tusks and Orchid Headband

Group of kukukuku adornments (6) dual tusk necklace with fibre binding and cuscus and job's tears chain. Four pigs tusks and an orchid fibre woven headband. Height 40 cm. Width 8 cm. Height 28 cm. Width 3.5 cm length 10 cm (4)

Kukukuku adornments (3) orchid fibre necklace bound with…

Orchid Fibre Adornments with Cuscus Appendages

Kukukuku adornments (3) orchid fibre necklace bound with plaited string. Together with two arm adornments with orchid fibre beads attached to circular bound ties with cuscus appendages. Height 35 cm. Width 15 cm. Height 36 cm. Width 80 mm

Highlands necklace dual boars tusk joined with fine fibre…

Boars Tusk and Job's Tears Bead Necklace

Highlands necklace dual boars tusk joined with fine fibre binding with attached job's tears bead necklace. Height 36 cm. Width 14 cm

Kukukuku fibre bound necklace with attached flying fox skulls.…

Flying Fox Skull Necklace with Orchid Beads

Kukukuku fibre bound necklace with attached flying fox skulls. Attached teeth and orchid fibre cylindrical beads. Height 35 cm. Width 20 cm

Large shell adornment, large and impressive shell necklace with…

Papuan Gulf Shell Necklace

Large shell adornment, large and impressive shell necklace with shell and attached fibre. Papuan Gulf. Length 51 cm. Width 6.5 cm

Mende doll, standing female mourning doll with a raised arm,…

Mende Mourning Doll

Mende doll, standing female mourning doll with a raised arm, human hair and cowrie inset eyes. Wearing a woven belt and leaf skirt, cowrie shell armband and job's tears necklace. Body and head covered in white/grey clay. Papua New Guinea. Height 53.6 cm.…

A Papua New Guinea boar's tusk necklace, and another. (2)

Papua New Guinea Boar Tusk Necklaces

A Papua New Guinea boar's tusk necklace, and another. (2)