Hawaiian
Early 19th century
Stone, cowrie shell, wood, bone, sennit, fiber
Length: 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm); Height: 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
Provenance: Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani, London
The leho heʻe is a purpose-made octopus lure used by Hawaiian fishermen, constructed to exploit the octopus's instinct to attack prey sheltering beneath a cowrie shell. Lures of this type were deployed on lines up to one hundred feet deep, worked up and down through the water column to simulate movement and attract the octopus. Octopus fishing was practiced both for subsistence and as a recognized sport among the Hawaiian ali'i.
The lure consists of a smooth river stone as ballast, a cowrie shell bound to its upper surface with sennit cordage, and a carved bone hook secured at one end with fiber lashing and shredded fiber skirt. The cowrie shell is a tiger variety, its spotted surface intact and the binding tight and well-preserved. The combination of materials reflects the technical specificity of Hawaiian fishing gear, with each component serving a defined functional role.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Hawaiian
Early 19th century
Stone, cowrie shell, wood, bone, sennit, fiber
Length: 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm); Height: 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
Provenance: Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani, London
The leho heʻe is a purpose-made octopus lure used by Hawaiian fishermen, constructed to exploit the octopus's instinct to attack prey sheltering beneath a cowrie shell. Lures of this type were deployed on lines up to one hundred feet deep, worked up and down through the water column to simulate movement and attract the octopus. Octopus fishing was practiced both for subsistence and as a recognized sport among the Hawaiian ali'i.
The lure consists of a smooth river stone as ballast, a cowrie shell bound to its upper surface with sennit cordage, and a carved bone hook secured at one end with fiber lashing and shredded fiber skirt. The cowrie shell is a tiger variety, its spotted surface intact and the binding tight and well-preserved. The combination of materials reflects the technical specificity of Hawaiian fishing gear, with each component serving a defined functional role.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
