Hawaiian
18th century
Basalt (volcanic)
Length: 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm); Width: 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi
The koʻi was the primary woodworking tool of pre-contact Hawaiʻi, used for felling trees, rough shaping, and the finish work of canoe hulls and other wooden objects. This example is ground from dense volcanic basalt with a flattened profile and a blade end shaped for horizontal hafting, the butt tapering to a functional drop tang form. The piece retains surface characteristics consistent with hand abrasion work typical of eighteenth-century Hawaiian stone tool production.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Hawaiian
18th century
Basalt (volcanic)
Length: 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm); Width: 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi
The koʻi was the primary woodworking tool of pre-contact Hawaiʻi, used for felling trees, rough shaping, and the finish work of canoe hulls and other wooden objects. This example is ground from dense volcanic basalt with a flattened profile and a blade end shaped for horizontal hafting, the butt tapering to a functional drop tang form. The piece retains surface characteristics consistent with hand abrasion work typical of eighteenth-century Hawaiian stone tool production.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Image 1 of 5
Image 2 of 5
Image 3 of 5
Image 4 of 5
Image 5 of 5