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 on the upper Brazza River I was told each animal only has four of these incisor teeth, a man over a lifetime May kill and collect enough teeth to make a necklace, the necklace is a prestige items showing a man's hunting prowess. This is the only very long necklace I have seen and would have taken hundreds of these animals to make this 2 meter long necklace of teeth' - Todd Barlin Provenance: B. L. Hornshaw collection (1878-1937) Hornshaw was an avid collector of Pacific and Australian Aboriginal artefacts, he received many of his pieces from people who lived and worked in the Pacific in the late 19th century. Length 200 cm