19th Century Asmat Tribe Decorated Ancestor Human Skull, Circa 1890.
Lot: 67
Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Irian Jaya, West Papua New Guinea.
Asmat human skull decorated in black cassowary feathers, white bird feathers, an animals foot, a hand woven textile highlighted in rust colored organic water based pigment, white seeds, red seeds, hand carved bone nose ring, rattan, and woven fiber the crown of the skull wrapped in a traditional iconic Asmat headdress of a woven textile band decorated in a white seed-strung diamond design motif with a red seed at the apex of each point on the top and bottom of each diamonds iconography with an array of drops on the back, consisting of white and black feathers strung together with white and red seeds that simulate figurative human hair the skull with brown patina from age and handling on a black metal stand.
A red circular seal on the back of this piece that reads David Howard Tribal Art.
Approximate dimensions not including the stand: 7 1/4 high x 6 wide x 9 1/2 inches deep..
Condition: Minimal apparent loss and repair.