19th Century Tongan Neckrest

A Neckrest, Tonga, 19th century; this classic neckrest of the type called Kali Hahapo, its elegant form carved out of a single piece of hardwood. Many people describe the form as 'Soft and beautiful like a woman's hips'. The bottom of the neckrest shows evidence of extensive coral rasping to finish the fine form like most all of the earliest examples show. (minor chips from long use but no restorations). Provenance: Nicolai Mitchoutchkine collection (1929-2010). Mitchoutchkine had a large Oceanic Art collection that toured Europe, the USA and Japan in the 1980's, he made two publications; 'Ethnography & Art of Oceania' the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 1989. 51 x 13.5 cm