Marquesas Islands, Polynesia
1820–1840
Wood
Height: 12 1/4 in / 31.1 cm
Australia trade
A Marquesan Islands fan handle, or ke’e, dating to 1820–1840. Fans in the Marquesas were carried by prominent men and women as markers of social status and were displayed at feasts and public occasions. The woven fan blades were attached to dagger-like wooden handles, sometimes with bone sleeves, and by the early 19th century these handles were often decorated with stacked pairs of small tiki figures.
These human images are generally understood as representations of deified ancestors, giving the object both social and ancestral significance within Marquesan ceremonial life. The handle’s vertical arrangement of figures reflects the refined carving vocabulary associated with early Marquesan fan handles. Its early date and strong sculptural presence make it suitable as a featured item.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Marquesas Islands, Polynesia
1820–1840
Wood
Height: 12 1/4 in / 31.1 cm
Australia trade
A Marquesan Islands fan handle, or ke’e, dating to 1820–1840. Fans in the Marquesas were carried by prominent men and women as markers of social status and were displayed at feasts and public occasions. The woven fan blades were attached to dagger-like wooden handles, sometimes with bone sleeves, and by the early 19th century these handles were often decorated with stacked pairs of small tiki figures.
These human images are generally understood as representations of deified ancestors, giving the object both social and ancestral significance within Marquesan ceremonial life. The handle’s vertical arrangement of figures reflects the refined carving vocabulary associated with early Marquesan fan handles. Its early date and strong sculptural presence make it suitable as a featured item.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
