159 - Kiribati Island

Kiribati Island Shark-tooth knife, from the La Korrigane expedition? Wood, shark teeth, and plant fibers 20th century L 49 cm A rare shark-tooth weapon, consisting of a long, tapered blade made of hardwood, lined along its entire length with a row of shark teeth held in place by plant fiber bindings. The handle is extended by a braided cord. Beautiful, deep reddish-brown patina from use. Provenance: Private collection, Paris According to family tradition, this piece was collected during the La Korrigane expedition (1934–1936), a famous French ethnographic voyage across the Pacific, notably to the New Hebrides, the Solomon Islands, and the Admiralty Islands. This work is similar to objects brought back by the expedition, some of which are now housed at the Musée du Quai Branly–Jacques Chirac. Bibliographic reference: Aboard the Korrigane. Régine van den Broek d’Obrenan’s Travel Journal from the New Hebrides, the Solomon Islands, and the Admiralty Islands in 1935, Somogy Éditions d’Art