A Fine Old New Guinea Shell Currency Matt Lumi Area West Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

A Fine Old New Guinea Shell Currency Mat called Poli from the Lumi Area West Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

This beautiful old woven wealth object from the Lumi Area of the West Sepik Province (now called Sandaun Province) of Papua New Guinea it is made from thousands of tiny Nassa shells each individually sewn onto the sago spathe and woven mat backing.  On the elegant oval form, you can see a design made with the pattern of the shells arranged in a V  shape.  The design is likely a stylized figure.  These woven & shell mats are called Poli  in their language, they are important wealth objects that are used as a traditional currency for bride price payments (a dowry) paid by the young man’s family.  This is the largest type of Poli and is much more beautiful than other square or rectangular-shaped examples. Fine weaving takes great skill and many many hours to make this one poli.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of New Guinea Oceanic Art 

See my new EXHIBITIONS GALLERY  showing the Museums and Art Galleries Exhibitions that I provided artworks for over the past 40 years. There is the link to the article about my artworks published in the prestigious Louvre Magazine in 1996

I have artwork for Museums and art Galleries but also for collectors at every stage of their collecting. I want to encourage people to explore the fine art of New Guinea & West Papua and the Pacific Islands and to be able to see and touch the artworks in a relaxed and friendly manner in my Sydney Gallery. I would like to invite you to visit my gallery and see the artworks in person and also look at my website www.oceanicartsaustralia.com where there are many Galleries & Sub Galleries to explore.

My Gallery of nearly 40 years is the last physical gallery in Sydney that specializes in New Guinea and Oceanic Art.  Sydney is very close to New Guinea & the Pacific Islands where all of these amazing artworks came from, Australia’s closest neighbors.

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