Massim Headrest and Figurative Carving from Papua New Guinea
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A Massim headrest in the form of an ancestral animal and a Massim figurative carving, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea (2), from the style and patination we believe these pieces to be from the early part of the twentieth century or possibly nineteenth century. For a similiar example see plate 42, page 84, 'Oceania Nera, Arte, Cultura e Popoli della Melanesia', Cantini, Italy, collected in 1898. Provenance: Ex-Private collection, Sydney, length 57 cm, height 23 cm
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- Patination / Patina - In broad terms, patination refers to the exterior surface appearance of the timber, the effect of fading caused by exposure to sunlight and air over the course of a century or more, changing the piece to a soft, mellow colour.
As patina is very difficult to replicate, it is one of the most important guides to determining the age of furniture.
Patina is also the term applied to the bloom or film found on old bronzes due to oxidisation.
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