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...

39 items found:

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

Papua New Guinea lower Sepik River ancestral figure, depicting…

Papua New Guinea lower Sepik River ancestral figure, depicting a standing figure with headdress, with beak nose and arms by side, on oval foot, height 40 cm

Papua New Guinea Sepik River ancestral figure, of handsome…

Papua New Guinea Sepik River ancestral figure, of handsome proportions, depicting a standing female figure, with bird at feet and one perched on back of headdress, painted in natural tones pigments of mustard, black and ochre, height 96 cm

A New Guinea terracotta totem figure, Sepik River, the seated…

Seated Crocodile Totem: New Guinea Terracotta Figure from Sepik River

A New Guinea terracotta totem figure, Sepik River, the seated figure with a crocodile headdress seated on a spherical base, height 37 cm. Provenance: Esplanade Auctions, sale 2297, lot 175

A middle Sepik River ancestral figure mask, Papua New Guinea,…

Sepik Ancestral Figure Mask with Elaborate Carvings

A middle Sepik River ancestral figure mask, Papua New Guinea, squatting figure raised on a curvilinear triangle, elbows resting on the thighs, elongated nose reaches the base, imposing headdress, body shaped as another ancestral figure, rattan structure…

A PNG Huli Tribe bachelor's headdress, of red ochre-stained…

Red Ochre Huli Tribe Bachelor's Headdress with Stand

A PNG Huli Tribe bachelor's headdress, of red ochre-stained human hair, typical crescent form. With stand, width 42 cm

A ceremonial figure from the top of a headdress, Southern New…

New Britain Headdress Figure

A ceremonial figure from the top of a headdress, Southern New Britain, Papua New Guinea, ochres, shells and natural earth pigments on wood. Provenance: Caspian gallery, Sydney, height 46 cm

A large wooden Helmut mask, Baba, with feather headdress,…

Rare Abelam Helmut Mask with Feather Headdress

A large wooden Helmut mask, Baba, with feather headdress, Abelam people, Maprik Region, Papua New Guinea, these wooden Babas are made in only a few villages and are rare, height 68 cm, diameter 28 cm

A carved and polychrome New Guinea ancestor figure, Sepik River,…

Sepik River Ancestor Figure with Bird Headdress

A carved and polychrome New Guinea ancestor figure, Sepik River, of a man in a bird headdress, height 128 cm. Provenance: Mossgreen, Sydney, 'Margaret Olley AC (1923-2011) an artist's life ', 30 June 2013, lot 162, acquired from the above

A ceremonial headdress, feather, woven cane and wood with earth…

Papua New Guinea Feather Headdress

A ceremonial headdress, feather, woven cane and wood with earth pigment decoration, Papua New Guinea, 39 cm high

A ceremonial headdress, feather, woven cane, string and wood…

Papua New Guinea Feather Headdress

A ceremonial headdress, feather, woven cane, string and wood with earth pigment decoration, Papua New Guinea, 32 cm high

Headdress and body ornaments, cassowary feather and fibre,…

Papua New Guinea Headdress and Ornaments Set

Headdress and body ornaments, cassowary feather and fibre, Torres Strait and south coast of Papua New Guinea, early to mid 20th century, (4 items)

A woven cane headdress, carved wooden statue and feather dance…

Papua New Guinea Traditional Artifacts

A woven cane headdress, carved wooden statue and feather dance ornament, Papua New Guinea, (3 items), 34 cm, 48 cm and 80 cm long

A 20th century middle Sepik River ancestral figure mask. Sepik…

Sepik River Ancestral Figure Mask

A 20th century middle Sepik River ancestral figure mask. Sepik Art is complex: ancestral representations destabilize and appear to be in constant transformation. This male figure with a long hooked nose, symbol of masculine strength, and imposing…

A middle Sepik River ancestral Figure-Mask, Papua New Guinea.…

Sepik Ancestral Figure-Mask from Papua New Guinea

A middle Sepik River ancestral Figure-Mask, Papua New Guinea. Squatting figure raised on a curvilinear triangle, elbows resting on the thighs, elongated nose reaches the base, imposing headdress, body shaped as another ancestral figure, rattan structure…

A woven Helmut mask, Baba, Abelam people, East Sepik Province,…

Abelam Helmut Mask with Cassowary Headdress

A woven Helmut mask, Baba, Abelam people, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, painted in strong red and white colours, with red stripes. Used during the yam fertility ceremonies and other rituals. It represents spirits, often birds. Cassowary spike…

Papua New Guinea Sepik River figure. Standing male holding a…

Sepik River Male Figure with Masked Flute and Headdress

Papua New Guinea Sepik River figure. Standing male holding a masked flute. Twin masked headdress. Height 82 cm (including base)

New Guinea Sepik ancestral figure. Angoram village carved…

Sepik Ancestral Figure with Bat and Headdress

New Guinea Sepik ancestral figure. Angoram village carved ancestor surmounted by a bat. Woven cane, shell and feather attached headdress. Height 141 cm

An old fighting shield, Obura, Eastern Highlands, Papua New…

Ancient Obura Fighting Shield with Engraved Design and Spears

An old fighting shield, Obura, Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea, old label reads 'Obura. 16 spears', the wooden shield is ancient with fine engraved design all over on the front & covered with spear points from ancient fights, blank on reverse, the top…

A PNG Sepik region cassowary feather headdress, with a…

Sepik Cassowary Feather Headdress

A PNG Sepik region cassowary feather headdress, with a multitude of feathers affixed to a woven string skullcap.

A woven Helmut dance mask, Abelam people, Sepik, Papua New…

Abelam Helmut Dance Mask with Cassowary Feather Headdress

A woven Helmut dance mask, Abelam people, Sepik, Papua New Guinea, serrated triangular motifs around the orange face and cassowary feather headdress, 49 x 25 x 26 cm

A woven Abelam initiation headdress, concentric circles painted…

Abelam Initiation Headdress with Concentric Circles

A woven Abelam initiation headdress, concentric circles painted in red and white, Maprik Region, Papua New Guinea, on custom made metal stand, 41 x 42 cm

Large Chinese carved polychrome and gesso head of Kwan Yin,…

Chinese Kwan Yin Head, Polychrome and Gesso Carving

Large Chinese carved polychrome and gesso head of Kwan Yin, depicted with headdress, accented with floral motifs, with a serene expression, in tones of brown, blue, yellow, red and green, height 40 cm. Provenance: Private Collection Exeter, Southern…

Papua New Guinea woven dance helmet, 'Baba' from the Abelam…

Abelam Bird Dance Helmet with Cassowary Feathers

Papua New Guinea woven dance helmet, 'Baba' from the Abelam people, said to represent a bird, possibly a cockatoo, used in many ceremonial dances, decorated with cassowary feather headdress, orange face, with white triangles, 57 cm x 28 cm x 30 cm

A woven Helmut mask, 'Baba', finely woven, with strong vertical…

Southern Abelam Woven Helmut Mask with Feather Headdress

A woven Helmut mask, 'Baba', finely woven, with strong vertical profile; painted in red and blue ochres, with a cassowary feather headdress. Used in ceremonial dancing at important rituals, Southern Abelam people, Wosera, Sepik region, Papua New Guinea,…

A woven Helmut mask, 'Baba', finely woven, with strong vertical…

Southern Abelam Woven Helmut Mask with Feather Headdress

A woven Helmut mask, 'Baba', finely woven, with strong vertical profile; painted in yellow and white ochres, with a cassowary feather headdress. Used in ceremonial dancing at important rituals, Southern Abelam people, Wosera, Sepik region, Papua New…

An Abelam Balsa wood yam mask, with woven cassowary and parrot…

Abelam Balsa Wood Yam Mask with Feather Headdress

An Abelam Balsa wood yam mask, with woven cassowary and parrot feather headdress, Maprik region, East Sepik Provence, Papua New Guinea, height 23 cm

A dance Wand for ceremonial headdress and a yam figure…

Wosera Dance Wand and Yam Figure Decoration

A dance Wand for ceremonial headdress and a yam figure decoration, Wosera, Southern Abelam, Papua New Guinea, 60 x 26 cm [headdress]

An ancestral figure, with elongated stylised headdress, Keram…

Sepik Ancestral Figure with Elongated Headdress

An ancestral figure, with elongated stylised headdress, Keram river, Sepik region PNG. Provenance: The Dr George Soutter and Dr John Yu collection, height 61 cm

Two Yipwon figures, weathered form with exaggerated ribs and…

Yipwon Figures from Karawari River, PNG

Two Yipwon figures, weathered form with exaggerated ribs and elongated headdress, Karawari river, East Sepik Province PNG. Provenance: The Dr George Soutter and Dr John Yu collection, length 82 - 83 cm

Papua New Guinea Latmul large ancestor mask. Ovoid form, bird…

Latmul Ancestor Mask with Bird Headdress

Papua New Guinea Latmul large ancestor mask. Ovoid form, bird figure headdress, and shell inset eyes. Length 116 cm

A fine New Britain mask,Papua New Guinea, of conical shape with…

New Britain Feathered Mask

A fine New Britain mask,Papua New Guinea, of conical shape with elaborate feather headdress, designs painted in black on a white back ground, shell and fibre ear ornaments and wood a nose ornament. Provenance: Collected by Peter Hallinan (1938-2015).…

A fine Eastern Highlands figure with fine body ornaments & a…

Eastern Highlands Figure with Ornamentation and Headdress

A fine Eastern Highlands figure with fine body ornaments & a feather headdress, for similar examples refer to the Stan Moriarty collection at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. His collection was exhibited in 'Plumes && pearl shells, Art of the New…

A ceremonial headdress, Wahgi Valley, Western Highlands…

Wahgi Valley Clan Headdress

A ceremonial headdress, Wahgi Valley, Western Highlands Province, finely made from bark cloth and resin over a cane frame, decorated with croix seeds, shells, feathers and ochre painted. This type of headdress was unique to the Wahgi Valley clans. See…

A ceremonial headdress, Wahgi Valley, Western Highlands…

Wahgi Valley Croix Seed Headdress

A ceremonial headdress, Wahgi Valley, Western Highlands Province, finely made from bark cloth and resin over a cane frame, decorated with croix seeds, shells, feathers and ochre painted. This type of headdress was unique to the Wahgi Valley clans. See…

Nine superb feather headdress, Eastern Highlands Provence, [9],…

Eastern Highlands Feather Headdress

Nine superb feather headdress, Eastern Highlands Provence, [9], finely woven with beautiful feather work. Provenance: Collected by Peter Hallinan (1938-2015). Peter was a well-known and respected field collector of New Guinea Art. (see field photo of…

Two fine feather ornaments from New Guinea, together with a…

New Guinea Feather Ornaments and Beetle Headband

Two fine feather ornaments from New Guinea, together with a rare green iridescent beatle headband, [3], finely woven and with beautifully coloured feathers. Provenance: Collected by Peter Hallinan (1938-2015). Peter was a well-known and respected field…

Malagan Figure. Anthropomorphic standing figure flanked by…

Malagan Snake Figure with Elaborate Headdress

Malagan Figure. Anthropomorphic standing figure flanked by snakes with sea-snail opercula eyes and detachable arms, painted in red, white and black and carved with elaborate headdress. Length 102 cm. Width 60 cm. Provenance: T. Clemence Collection, New…

A large ceremonial headdress, Abelam East sepik 104 cm

Abelam East Sepik Ceremonial Headdress - 104cm

A large ceremonial headdress, Abelam East sepik 104 cm

Headdress, 'Judge's wig', Wahgi Valley, Papua New Guinea…

Papua New Guinea Judge's Wig Headdress

Headdress, 'Judge's wig', Wahgi Valley, Papua New Guinea Highlands. 68 cm