Lot 52
Pacific Islands Tapa Bark Cloth
Sold June 28, 2025
- Price realized
- $65
Price realized is the winning bid (hammer price) and excludes buyer’s premium.
About this lot
Estimated Value: $100-300
Origin: Samoan, 19th or 20th Century, also can be found in the Pacific Islands, Fiji, Tonga, or Hawaii
Dimensions: 58x71in
Condition: Some fraying along the edges and a small hole in a seam of the fold.
Additional Information: A Tapa bark cloth from Samoa created by stripping the bark from mulberry trees, soaked and beaten until soft and thin. Pieces are joined together to make larger sheets. The cloth is dried and decorated using paints and dyes in geometric or floral patterns. The design was passed down from generation to generation. The Tapa cloth is used for clothing, mats, room dividers. and for ceremonial purposes such as weddings and funerals.
The tapa cloth is not unique to Samoa and can be found throughout the Pacific Islands. Each Island has their own name for the Tapa cloth. Ngatu is Tonga, siapo is Samoan, masi is Fiji, and kapa is Hawaiian.
Lot details
- Lot
- 52
- Closed
- June 28, 2025
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