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Harpoon float, 19th–early 20th century
Wood, lime, traditional repair made to basketry
7.6 x 25.4 x 18.4 cm (3 x 10 x 7 1/4 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.199

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: "Pierre Loeb Collection, Paris; Robert Emile Bouchard Collection, Montreuil, France." (Catalog #548, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 181.) PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "The use of an eagle rayfish (Aetobatus narinari) as a model for a fishing float is unusual. Harpoon floats were used for hunting turtles and large fish. The harpoon had a detachable bamboo or wooden point (later replaced by an iron point) attached via a long rope to a wooden shaft and a float (which had a hole somewhere in the middle for that purpose). The rope allowed the animal some leeway to thrash about while the float simultaneously functioned as a kind of brake preventing if from escaping into deep sea. For a somewhat different rendering of a rayfish carved as a float, see van Baaren in Greub, 1992: 48, pl. 37." (Catalog #548, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 181.)

Related Keywords
float Harpoon Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised 181 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art Guinea New 548 Catalog France Montreuil Bouchard Emile Robert Paris Loeb Pierre Island Rumberpon northwest village Siari Ezari Oceania Papua West Indonesia Implement Tool basketry made repair traditional lime Wood 0709200406050272 A361114 L05.1.199 AOA