Search Results

Image 1 of 1

Eating utensil, Hiloi, 19th–early 20th century
Bone
20.3 x 2.5 cm (8 x 1.5 in.)
The Marcia and John Friede Collection, a Promised Gift to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco L05.1.346

Zoom this image

Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: Jolika Collection of New Guinea Art EXHIBITIONS: 1991 - The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1991, "New Guinea Bone Carvings." PUBLICATIONS: 2005 - "This fork used to stir and eat the gluey porridge made of sago flour and water, which was the Sentani staple food. A Sentani visitor to the "Bone Carvings" show was kind enough to supply this information, which corresponds with documentation on a similar bone object at the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde, Leiden (RMV 1904-713; see also Van der Sande, 1907, pl. I, fig. 7 for a three-pronged example with less flattened prongs). That piece, labeled as a sago fork, was collected at Asei village in the early 20th century. With regard to the shape of the prongs, it was observed that "...in particular with the bone specimen from Ase [Asei]...the prongs are worn off obliquely by the wear against the inside of the earthenware pots in which the sago porridge is prepared and from which it is also eaten" (Van der Sande, 1907: 6). Old forks made of black palm wood are occassionally encountered (Van der Sande, pl. I, figs. 2-3, 6) and forks of this kind are still in use (see Pratiknyo, 1995: 176-77). This beautifully etched bone version, which appears to be rare, was probably restricted in its use to high-ranking individuals." (Catalog #566, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 184.)

Related Keywords
Hiloi utensil Eating Francisco San Museums Arts Fine Gift Promised Friede John Marcia Art Jolika Oceania Papua West Guinea New Implement Tool Bone 0709200406050194 A365261 L05.1.346 AOA