Necklace Sepik River - Sepik River - Papua New Guinea

An old necklace from the Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea. The necklace features porcelain imitation dog teeth, arranged in a sweeping crescent and secured individually to a fibre support with closely wrapped bindings.

The curved, cream-coloured porcelain teeth form a striking, almost continuous fringe. Their gently varied tones, surface marks and accumulated discolouration give the necklace a distinctive aged appearance. The supporting structure and bindings remain clearly visible, revealing the care taken in assembling the ornament. A long, brown fabric neck strap, tied at either end, completes the piece.

The use of porcelain reproductions of dog teeth makes this necklace an interesting example of imported materials incorporated into an established New Guinea ornament form. Its visual character lies in the combination of the pale, smooth teeth and the darker, textured bindings and strap.

The necklace shows wear, soiling and fraying to the fabric and bindings, consistent with age and handling. Please examine the photographs carefully for its condition and construction. An expressive piece for a collection of Sepik adornment, New Guinea material culture or Oceanic art.

Dog teeth were highly esteemed in New Guinea, valued both as personal ornaments and as a form of traditional currency. Recognising their trading value, German colonial traders introduced porcelain replicas manufactured in Germany during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These imitation teeth were imported for barter, allowing Europeans to exchange manufactured goods for local products. They were also incorporated into necklaces and other ornaments, linking European trade materials with local traditions of adornment and wealth.

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ADRIAAN VAN DIS

besprak mijn beide boeken, dus ook het recente ‘Ik droomde dat je kwam’


Een prachtig en meeslepend boek vol verhalen over Papua, met een bijzondere mix van avontuur, cultuur en persoonlijke ontmoetingen. De auteur neemt je mee van Raja Ampat tot de Asmat, van Yapen tot de Vogelkop, in een warme en levendige vertelstijl. Inclusief fotokatern van Roy Villevoye.
Prijs: €22,95
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