Fiji
Early 19th century
Wood
Height: 48¼ in. (122.6 cm)
Provenance: London trade
The bowai is a pole-form war club specific to Fiji, characterized by its cylindrical shaft, faceted or rounded striking head, and incised banding at intervals along the body. This example carries bands of finely worked geometric incision at the grip and along the shaft, with the deep dark patina of the wood consistent with significant age and handling. The scale and weight of the form indicate an object made for a person of rank, as bowai of this length were associated with chiefly status in Fijian warrior culture.
The surface incision is executed with precision, the repeating banded motifs distributed at measured intervals that articulate the shaft without interrupting its vertical clarity. The striking head tapers to a faceted point, and the overall silhouette is resolved and deliberate. London trade provenance is consistent with early 19th-century Fijian material entering European collections through the established Pacific trade networks of that period.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Fiji
Early 19th century
Wood
Height: 48¼ in. (122.6 cm)
Provenance: London trade
The bowai is a pole-form war club specific to Fiji, characterized by its cylindrical shaft, faceted or rounded striking head, and incised banding at intervals along the body. This example carries bands of finely worked geometric incision at the grip and along the shaft, with the deep dark patina of the wood consistent with significant age and handling. The scale and weight of the form indicate an object made for a person of rank, as bowai of this length were associated with chiefly status in Fijian warrior culture.
The surface incision is executed with precision, the repeating banded motifs distributed at measured intervals that articulate the shaft without interrupting its vertical clarity. The striking head tapers to a faceted point, and the overall silhouette is resolved and deliberate. London trade provenance is consistent with early 19th-century Fijian material entering European collections through the established Pacific trade networks of that period.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
