Lot 1041
Papua New Guinea Sepik River Suspension Hook
Sold July 9, 2026
- Price realized
- $170
Price realized is the winning bid (hammer price) and excludes buyer’s premium.
About this lot
Origin: Papua New Guinea, Sepik River Region
Dimensions: 7x19x1 1/2″
Condition: Some Wear and Scratches
Additional Information: This suspension hook from the Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea reflects the artistry and spiritual depth characteristic of one of the most culturally diverse areas of the Pacific. Carved from a single piece of hardwood, it would have been hung from the rafters of a men’s house, where such hooks supported baskets, food, and valuables while also serving an important protective role within the ceremonial space.
This example takes the form of a fish figure, its elongated body culminating in a toothy mouth that conveys both vitality and a subtle sense of guardianship. Fish imagery appears throughout Sepik carving traditions and is often associated with ancestral presence and the life-giving forces of the river itself. The stylized treatment of the creature, along with the hook’s patinated surface, reveals the artist’s sensitivity to both sculptural balance and symbolic meaning.
Suspension hooks like this were never merely utilitarian. They stood at the intersection of daily activity and spiritual safeguarding, their carved forms shaping the environment of the men’s house while affirming the community’s connection to ancestral power. This piece offers a compelling glimpse into that long-practiced tradition.
Lot details
- Lot
- 1041
- Category
- Historical Objects › Primitive Cultures
- Closed
- July 9, 2026
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