Maori art for auction in London later this month

Press, 7 June 1983, Page 8

Maori art for auction in London later this month

NZPA staff correspondent London

London’s two most prestigious auction houses, Sotheby’s and Christie’s, both have collections of Maori art coming up for sale at the end of this month.

The highlight of the Sotheby’s sale is a freestanding Maori wood figure, one of only six known, which is expected to fetch between £lOO,OOO and £ 150,000 (1230,000 - and $345,000).

Of the five similar figures, only one remains in New Zealand, in the Dominion Museum in Wellington, and the other four are all in museums in England and Scotland.

All are male standing figures with the arms bent at the elbow, the hands pressed to the abdomen, and a moko on the face.

The figures are all thought to be pre-European by the adze blade marks on the feet. Most later work does not have these marks.

Experts think it likely that all the figures originated from the northern Bay of Plenty-East Coast area. A spokeswoman for Sotheby’s said it was the most important piece of Maori art to come up for auction for many years. Also in the Sotheby’s auction is the preserved head of a Maori chief which is being sold by the Marquis of Tavistock.

This heavily mokoed face, with an open mouth revealing the front teeth, is expected to fetch between £ 4006 and £5OOO ($9200 and $11,500). The auction catalogue says the head is mounted on a wood base with a label attached saying, “A chiefs head of the Notteebow tribe, East Cape, New Zealand.” Sotheby’s said it received about one a year for auction.

So far it has had no inquiries from New Zealand museums for the pieces.

Another important piece in the Sotheby’s auction is a Maori wood treasure box or wakahuia, which was the property of Lord Rosehill. This is expected to fetch between £4OOO and £6OOO ($9200 and $13,800). Other items include three Maori wood staffs or taiahas which are expected to reach a top price of £350 ($800), a whalebone hand club or patu paraoa at between £4OO and £ 500 ($920 and $1150), a Maori wood head heavißu UUwed for £l5OO to £2OO ($3450 to $4060), and a larg?

tiki and wooden flageolet for about the same price.

The items for sale at Christie’s include a large selection of Maori fish hooks for £6O to £l2O ($l4O to $280), and greenstone tikis from £5OO to £lO,OOO ($ll5O to $23,000). A “fine Maori wood canoe prow” is expected to fetch up to £lO,OOO ($23,000). A kiwi feather-and-flax cloak,

wood feather box, and Maori wooden clubs are expected to sell for between £ 400 and £BOO ($920 and $1840). The Sotheby’s sale will be on June 27 while the Christie’s one will be on June 29. The rival auction houses often liaise to have similar auctions close together to assist overseas buyers who fly in especially for them.