Ancient Axes and Adze with Bird Motifs
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Finial - An architectural decoration, found on the upper parts of of an object. On furniture they are usually found on pediments, canopies and shelf supports. On smaller ceramic or silver items, such as spoons, they may decorate the top of the item itself, or the lid or cover where they provide a useful handle for removal.
Finials have a variety of shapes and forms. They may be urn-shaped, baluster shaped round or spiral, but usually taper into an upper point. Many real life shapes may also be used as finials, such as pineapples, berries, pinecones, buds, lotus and acorns. Sometimes animals such as a lion are depicted, or fish and dolphins. - Incised - A record of a name, date or inscription, or a decoration scratched into a surface, usually of a glass or ceramic item with a blunt instrument to make a coarse indentation. Compare with engraving where the surface is cut with a sharp instrument such as a metal needle or rotating tool to achieve a fine indentation.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
A contact period Maori tewhatewha, with a carved ridge nearer the point, the blade with an old wood split on top edge and a straight hole drilled at the bottom curved edge. Provenance: Purchased from Webb's, 2008. Prior to sale, was held in one family sinc
A wave splitter, Trobriand Island, 58 cm
A large hook ended flensing iron made by W. Gilpin, Wedges Mills Kent, 19th century, 83 cm long. Note: Gilpins - A William Gilpin & Co. is listed as a UK maker of plane irons 1868-1946 and a W. Gilpin (no & Co.) is listed as a chisel maker there with no da
Papua New Guinea ceremonial axe, woven geometric grass with stone axe head, a/f missing piece