Rare Historical Maori Fighting Staff with Provenance

An extremely rare historical contact period Maori wooden fighting staff (taiaha). This fine quality piece has original Maori dog hair tassels and native bird feathers around the throat. It also has a red army cloth which family believed May have come from James Carter's military uniform. Provenance: James Carter (born 1805 in Preston, England) enlisted in the 60th Regiment at the age of 16. His trade was weaving. He served seven years and 279 days in India. He was discharged in 1828 and married Mary Greenwood in 1829. He left London with Mary and their four children on the ship 'Minerva' and settled in Howick village, Auckland. Carter was a 'Forcible soldier' based in Howick during the New Zealand wars. He purchased this taiaha from a soldier passing through Howick after coming back from campaign duty in the distant regions of NZ. He was on the Howick jury list in 1848, and died 11 October, 1859. The taiaha has since been passed down through the Carter family. Length 154 cm