Sale 194 Lot 449

THREE SOLOMON ISLANDS CARVED WOODEN TAPA BARK BEATERS, Mid 20th century. Set of three patinated hand-carved, used, and decorated "Tapa beaters" from the Western Province (Gizo area) in the Solomon Islands. Tapa is a kind of bark cloth that is made in the South Pacific Islands, mainly Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji, but also as far afield as Hawaii and New Zealand. Tapa was introduced to the western world in the late 18th century by Captain Cook's first expedition, where it was collected under the direction of Joseph Banks and brought to Europe. - Longest tapa beater is 13 inches.
Estimate $120-160