Papua New Guinea artist
This cone shell wealth object has not been made in decades; in fact, this (mid 1950s) might actually be one of the last. The shells could easily be over 100 years old, but since they get restrung over time, it’s hard to say about the fiber. The belt, typically used as a ‘bride price’, is rare. An interesting and qualifying attribute for the belt is that each of the cone shell tops is attached to the belt through a snake vertabrae.
Ex Norman Hurst Gallery, Boston
32.5″ long
$350
