*Stick of authority and spoon, Sepik River, Papua New Guinea Wood L. 33,5 and 53 cm Provenance: Private collection, Switzerland Stick of authority, presenting a rich ornamentation. A champlevé and engraved decoration, consisting of geometrical forms, animates the handle. At the top, a character with typical features of the Sepik River region is camped, the legs melted, disappeared, impregnated by the top of the handle open in two as if to let the character intertwine. Long hemmed beak, a sign of power and masculinity, the eyes signified by two series of concentric circles carved deep into the wood, the top of the skull capped with a high headdress decorated with rich motifs. The spoon's deeply rounded tip is attached to the handle by the assembly of braided and knotted plant fibers. In the center of the handle, a small figurine with a hooked nose, a hollowed out and intensified gaze in the wood, and hands joined at the front of the body is represented. Wear of the wood on the upper part. Lot in temporary importation and subject to a fee of 5.5% to be paid by the buyer in addition to the selling expenses and the hammer price.