Betelnut mortar/lime spatula
Massim area, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea
Wood, lime infill
Late 19th to early 20th century
13.25 inches (33.6 cm)
Field collected by Reverend John. W. Dixon, stationed in Dobu 1923-1926, Fergusson 1929-41, 1944-46; purchased from the collector's widow, Olive Dixon; Harry Beran Collection (HB 171); ex. John and Marcia Friede Collection; ex. Michael Hamson; ex. private collection, Madison, WI.

"The handle is formed by a betelnut mortar, a design of which there are a number of examples (cf. Beran 1980, Nr. 28, Beran 1988, Nr. 72). The pestle with which the betelnut is crushed can be used to pass the betelnut mush to the mouth. I have seen a man in Dobu so this from an ordinary mortar." Harry Beran

Published in Michael Hamson's book Collecting New Guinea Art, 2013, pp 100-101, item 38r
#6010   

$1750