Bisj figure 87 cm - central Asmat - West Papua (No Reserve Price)
04
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Current bid
€ 1
No reserve price
Expert
Selected by Amy Wassing
Nearly 20 years' experience in Indonesian and Oceanian art with museum expertise.
Estimate € 190 - € 230
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Asmat Bisj pole, 87 cm high, made of wood in West Papua, dating to the mid‑20th century, provenance private collection, in excellent condition, 1 item, sold without a stand.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
A Superb Asmat Bisj Pole, Dutch Colonial Collection, 1950s
This impressive bisj pole is a true highlight within the corpus of Asmat sculpture. Carved with great confidence and precision, it displays all the classic elements that define the finest works from the region: powerful ancestral figures rising in dynamic sequence, deeply incised motifs, and the characteristic flowing lines that suggest movement, vitality, and spiritual presence.
The surface shows an appealing, time-softened patina, consistent with long-term traditional use before its collection in the 1950s. Each figure is rendered with expressive detail — from the elongated proportions to the refined facial features and the elegantly carved hands and feet — reflecting both artistic mastery and profound ritual significance.
Bisj poles were created to honor ancestors and to restore balance after conflict, and the quality of this example places it among the stronger, more complete pieces that reach the market. For collectors, it offers rarity, authenticity, and cultural depth in equal measure.
An exceptional gem for any serious collection of Oceanic or Asmat art.
A museum-quality artifact of outstanding ethnographic and artistic value.
Secure packaging and insured shipment will be arranged with care.
A striking and authentic example of Asmat warrior art — deeply rooted in the region’s ancestral and headhunting traditions.
Packed with care
Sending worldwide
Sold by Koos Knol, ethnographer and anthropologist, dealer of Papua Tribal Art for more than 30 years, expert and author of the book “Papua Blues”, written in Dutch. (Maybe in English next year.) Published end of October 2024
A book about inside stories, a book that deals with the many encounters with special people in West Papua, the impressive experiences that the author has, about special encounters with men and women who tell him about secret things, about ethnographic objects and initiate him into the rituals and ceremonies.
A must have for collectors, ethnographers, ethnologists, anthropologists and museums
Google:Papua Blues Koos Knol
Seller's Story
my wife Paula van den Berg and I, Koos Tuber, both anthropologists, traveling a lot through Papua New Guinea and West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), Solomon Islands and Vanuatu (formerly New Hebrides). We love local tribal arts, we collected thousands and thousands of artifacts, all authentic, sometimes old, sometimes more recently but mainly used objects in local traditional cultures. We are happy to give more detailed information about the artifacts we sell here on Catawiki. Please feel free to contact us.
Translated by Google TranslateA Superb Asmat Bisj Pole, Dutch Colonial Collection, 1950s
This impressive bisj pole is a true highlight within the corpus of Asmat sculpture. Carved with great confidence and precision, it displays all the classic elements that define the finest works from the region: powerful ancestral figures rising in dynamic sequence, deeply incised motifs, and the characteristic flowing lines that suggest movement, vitality, and spiritual presence.
The surface shows an appealing, time-softened patina, consistent with long-term traditional use before its collection in the 1950s. Each figure is rendered with expressive detail — from the elongated proportions to the refined facial features and the elegantly carved hands and feet — reflecting both artistic mastery and profound ritual significance.
Bisj poles were created to honor ancestors and to restore balance after conflict, and the quality of this example places it among the stronger, more complete pieces that reach the market. For collectors, it offers rarity, authenticity, and cultural depth in equal measure.
An exceptional gem for any serious collection of Oceanic or Asmat art.
A museum-quality artifact of outstanding ethnographic and artistic value.
Secure packaging and insured shipment will be arranged with care.
A striking and authentic example of Asmat warrior art — deeply rooted in the region’s ancestral and headhunting traditions.
Packed with care
Sending worldwide
Sold by Koos Knol, ethnographer and anthropologist, dealer of Papua Tribal Art for more than 30 years, expert and author of the book “Papua Blues”, written in Dutch. (Maybe in English next year.) Published end of October 2024
A book about inside stories, a book that deals with the many encounters with special people in West Papua, the impressive experiences that the author has, about special encounters with men and women who tell him about secret things, about ethnographic objects and initiate him into the rituals and ceremonies.
A must have for collectors, ethnographers, ethnologists, anthropologists and museums
Google:Papua Blues Koos Knol
Seller's Story
my wife Paula van den Berg and I, Koos Tuber, both anthropologists, traveling a lot through Papua New Guinea and West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya), Solomon Islands and Vanuatu (formerly New Hebrides). We love local tribal arts, we collected thousands and thousands of artifacts, all authentic, sometimes old, sometimes more recently but mainly used objects in local traditional cultures. We are happy to give more detailed information about the artifacts we sell here on Catawiki. Please feel free to contact us.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
No. of items
1
Ethnic group/ culture
central Asmat
Country of Origin
West Papua
Period
Mid 20th century
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Excellent condition
Title of artwork
Bisj figure 87 cm
Height
87 cm
Width
4 cm
Depth
5 cm
Provenance
Private collection
