Aboriginal art and artefact collecting goes back to early first contact times. In fact local Aboriginals around Sydney use to trade artefacts with visiting ships from the earliest days.

Curio collecting has always been part of early exploration of the new world. Ceremonial adornment items that were made of perishable material were not preserved for future use and so early examples are very collectable. Early shields, clubs and boomerangs that were cherished as favourites and had developed a deep colour and patina are preferred.

Historical items that were collected by early notable pioneers, explorers or anthropologists are of high interest to collectors. Some areas are collected because the artistic expression makes them more appealing when displayed.

Production of artefacts has never ceased and are still made today for sale.

Some examples of collectable Aboriginal artefacts are:

19 items found:

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

Pandanus dilly bags, Arnhem land, Northern Territory. Woven…

Arnhem Land Pandanus Dilly Bags

Pandanus dilly bags, Arnhem land, Northern Territory. Woven plant fibre. A dilly bag (burlupurr in Burarra or kunmadj in Kunwinjku) is a large woven collecting basket. These large baskets or bags are often made from Pandanus spiralis, a plant which grows…

Coiled basket, Lake Alexandrina, South Australia. Woven plant…

Coiled Fibre Basket with Handle

Coiled basket, Lake Alexandrina, South Australia. Woven plant fibre. The basket is made from fibre using a coiled basketry technique. It has an oval shape with a flat base and straight sides that are slightly warped. A handle extends from the weave on one…

Coiled basket, Victor Harbour, South Australia. Woven plant…

Coiled Basket from Victor Harbour, South Australia

Coiled basket, Victor Harbour, South Australia. Woven plant fibre. Approx length 17 x 7 cm. Provenance: Jeff Fischer, Adelaide, South Australia. Private Collection, South Australia.

Australian Aboriginal Twined dilly bag, in natural fibre, with…

Aboriginal Twined Dilly Bag with Natural Tones

Australian Aboriginal Twined dilly bag, in natural fibre, with loop handle, in bands of colour in natural tones, length 33 cm

Large coiled pandanus basket, Northern Territory. Woven plant…

Coiled Pandanus Basket with Handle

Large coiled pandanus basket, Northern Territory. Woven plant fibre. The basket is made from fibre using a coiled basketry technique. It has an oval shape with a flat base and straight sides that are slightly warped. A handle extends from the weave on one…

Coiled pandanus basket, Northern Territory. Woven plant fibre.…

Coiled Pandanus Basket with Handle

Coiled pandanus basket, Northern Territory. Woven plant fibre. The basket is made from fibre using a coiled basketry technique. It has an oval shape with a flat base and straight sides that are slightly warped. A handle extends from the weave on one side…

Lily Kurrultya, dilly bag, Jarruluk, Northern Territory. Woven…

Lily Kurrultya's Dilly Bag

Lily Kurrultya, dilly bag, Jarruluk, Northern Territory. Woven plant fibre and natural pigment. A dilly bag (burlupurr in Burarra or kunmadj in Kunwinjku) is a large woven collecting basket. These large baskets or bags are often made from pandanus…

Three pandanus dilly bags, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory,…

Arnhem Land Pandanus Dilly Bags

Three pandanus dilly bags, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, woven plant fibre (no custom stands) a dilly bag (burlupurr in Burarra or kunmadj in Kunwinjku) is a large woven collecting basket. These large baskets or bags are often made from pandanus…

Three large pandanus dilly bags, Arnhem Land, Northern…

Arnhem Land Pandanus Dilly Bags

Three large pandanus dilly bags, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, woven plant fibre (no custom stands) a dilly bag (burlupurr in Burarra or kunmadj in Kunwinjku) is a large woven collecting basket. These large baskets or bags are often made from pandanus…

Three massive pandanus dilly bags, Arnhem Land, Northern…

Arnhem Land Pandanus Dilly Bags

Three massive pandanus dilly bags, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, woven plant fibre (no custom stands) a dilly bag (burlupurr in Burarra or kunmadj in Kunwinjku) is a large woven collecting basket. These large baskets or bags are often made from…

Large Aboriginal bark basket, Murray River, north Queensland,…

Aboriginal Bark Basket from Murray River, North Queensland

Large Aboriginal bark basket, Murray River, north Queensland, moulded bark, cane, spinifex resin and natural earth pigments (no custom stand) length 51 x 42 cm. Provenance: inscribed on basket: bark basket, Abo name: Nobar, Locality: Murray River, Nq,…

Rare early rainforest bark basket, Far North Queensland,…

Rainforest Bark Basket from Far North Queensland

Rare early rainforest bark basket, Far North Queensland, moulded bark, cane, spinifex resin and natural earth pigments (no custom stand) baskets made of moulded bark have appeared in various regions across Aboriginal Australia. They are intrinsically…

Superb early incised bulbous club, Victoria. This is an unusual…

Incised Bulbous Club with Geometric Motifs

Superb early incised bulbous club, Victoria. This is an unusual specimen, the with shaft and head are adorned with finely incised geometric designs and motifs. Ribbed pointed end to handle with carved band of basket weave pattern above. Carved and…

Woven Dilly Bag Arnhem Land Purchased 1968

Arnhem Land Dilly Bag, 1968 Purchase

Woven Dilly Bag Arnhem Land Purchased 1968

Woven Dilly Bag Arnhem Land Purchased 1968

Arnhem Land Dilly Bag, 1968 Purchase

Woven Dilly Bag Arnhem Land Purchased 1968

A fine early Aboriginal string bag, together with a hair pin…

Aboriginal String Bag and Hair Pin

A fine early Aboriginal string bag, together with a hair pin finely incised, [2]. Provenance: Lord Alistair McAlpine (1942-2014) was a British businessman, politician and author who was an advisor to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He was a lifetime…

Three Australian Aboriginal woven baskets, including: a…

Aboriginal Woven Baskets from Australia

Three Australian Aboriginal woven baskets, including: a Queensland bicornuate basket and two Central Arnhem Land woven baskets. 43 cm, 24 cm, 33 cm (3)

Bicornual basket, Northern Queensland, woven lawyer cane, 32 x…

Northern Queensland Bicornual Lawyer Cane Basket

Bicornual basket, Northern Queensland, woven lawyer cane, 32 x 28 cm

Three woven Aboriginal pandanus baskets diameter 17 cm to 40 cm

Aboriginal Pandanus Baskets - Three Sizes Available

Three woven Aboriginal pandanus baskets diameter 17 cm to 40 cm