Papuan Gulf Gope Spirit Board.....(early 20th cent) w/provenance & published.

Description

This is an old Gope Spirit board....circa (1890's - 1920s)
it is an ex- M. Hamson piece and is published in his good catalog
"Red Eye of The Sun" .   I'll throw in a copy of the catalog for free w/ purchase of board.....
photo #5 here... is from the catalog
The rare thing about this spirit board is that it has a head!....Deeply incised traditional design w/ orange, black and white natural pigments. The erosion at the base of the board is a period loss -- due to contact with the ground (pushed in ground to stand upright during
ceremonies
).
Far too many bad reproductions around......this... is a genuine item!
It's a powerful & rare old beauty!!!
Measurements - full length is 40 inches....width is 9.5 (at widest part).
The handsome wood/metal stand is a work of art in its own right...On its underside, the engraved text of the metal plaque reads
"Gope Board, Papua New Guinea, Papuan Gulf Area, Early 20th cent.....Michael Hamson, Oceanic Art"
****SEE PHOTOS FOR BEST DESCRIPTION......KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BUYING.......DO YOUR RESEARCH.......ALL SALES ARE FINAL......ABSOLUTELY NO REFUNDS!!!!.....(ask questions)
Best,
Rez