Fine LARGE Maori Feast Bowl probably carved by Anaha Te Rahu...

Hammer

$65,000

Fine LARGE Maori Feast Bowl probably carved by Anaha Te Rahui (1822-1913), New Zealand. Carved and engraved wood with haliotis shell inlay. Large spherical bowl with fitted lid flanked by seated attendant figures on either side and the bowl and lid carved in high relief with a series of tiki faces with haliotis shell eyes (mostly missing) inset, the whole elaborately carved in Rauponga scrollwork motifs, aged deep dark brown patina. The offered bowl is so idiosyncratic in style and treatment that it can be attributed to the carver Anaha Te Rahui. Throughout his long life Anaha Te Rahui saw many changes in Maori culture, and as an artist, his work evolved with the times. Roger Neich has written extensively on the woodcarvers of Ngati Tarawhai (2001). According to Neich, ‘although he almost certainly never worked with stone tools, Anaha was the last of the old Ngati Tarawhai canoe builders. By the time the large carved house building movement got under way, Anaha was already in late middle age and well established as the chief to Ngati Tarahwai. He enjoyed wide contacts with many prominent Europeans and experienced European education through his children, and from his work in the courts. He was literate in Maori. ...Anaha was clearly very much a man of his people, a great leader and certainly not an alienated artist.’ See Neich (2001: figure 15.25) for a another bowl attributed to Anaha Te Rahui as well as a listing of other documented works by the artist. Approx L60cm, B36cm, H43.5cm. PROVENANCE Cornelius Pieter Meulendijk Collection, Rotterdam. Christies London, The Meulendijk Collection - Lot 243, October 21st. 1980. John Magers Collection, Sydney.

More Information

Maori Feast Bowl
“Kumete”
(Attributed to Anaha Te Rahui)

BACKGROUND
My parents, John & Maree Magers initially started collecting art from Papua New Guinea,
Aboriginal Australian art and art from other parts of oceania including New Zealand. My
mother had an art gallery in the 70’s in Pitt Street, Sydney and they continued to collect and
sell things over the years as many collectors do. There are many art objects from their
collection in various Australian Museums including Aboriginal art from the Morrison
collection that Dad owned & sold to the Australian Museum in Sydney, the Biwat flute stopper
in the collection at LACMA, the Solomon Islands carved coconut in the Sainsbury collection in
Norwich, the Atei in the Masco collection etc.
Among their circle of contacts & friends were a long list of people associated with oceanic art
including collectors, museum staff, auction house staff, academics and dealers. Harry Beran,
Roger Neich, David Simmons, Jim Specht were among the academics in my parents circle of
contacts.
Dealers including Wayne Heathecote, Patricia Withofs, Stephen Kellner, Stan Moriarty,
Maureen & Harold Zarember, Loed Van Bussel, Anthony Meyer, Roberta Entwistle, Kevin
Conru, Bill Evans, Senta Taft, Todd Barlin, Jim Davidson, Chris Boylan and Alex Phillips all
purchased art from my father while he was still alive. Many pieces were published but my
parents were never listed in the provenance including the great Atei in the Masco collection.
Major collectors including Sir David Attenborough, Lord Alistair McAlpine, John Friede,
Malcolm Kirk, Udo Horstmann, Mel Ward, Bruce Seaman, Gene Van Grecken, Harry Beran,
Eric Coote, Donald Friend, Col Davidson, Robert Bleakley, Nicolai Michoutouchkine all visited
our home and purchased art through the years.
This large Maori “Kumete” feast bowl has been in my family collection for over 40 years. My
father, John Magers, bought it at an auction held by Christies in London in 1980 and he always
called the bowl “The Te Rahui Kumete” I understand that this was based on his understanding
of Maori art, his communication on it among his contacts. I can recall him telling me that it
was of a much finer quality of carving and of much larger scale at approx. 60cm across as he
compared it to the example in the Australian Museum in Sydney that is considerably smaller.
PROVENANCE
Cornelius Pieter Meulendijk Collection, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Acquired at Christies London, The Meulendijk Collection - Lot 243, October 21st. 1980.
Thereafter John Magers Collection, Sydney, Australia
LITERATURE AND EXHIBITIONS
Published on page 150-151 Polynesian Art at Auction 1965-1980: Charles W. Mack, 1982

Exhibited as part of the Meulendijk Collection at the Museum Voor Land en Volkerkunde,
Rotterdam, 1965
REFERENCE EXAMPLES OF WORK BY ANAHA TE RAHUI
1.) Kumete (figure supported bowl), Anaha Te Rahui; carver; circa 1900; Rotorua
Registration Number ME023133, Te Papa Museum Collection, Wellington, NZ
2.) A Maori Bowl by Anaha Te Rahui (1822-1913)
Lot 6, Sotheby’s New York, 12th May 2005 (African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art)
3.) See Neich (2001: figure 15.25) for a another bowl attributed to Anaha Te Rahui as well
as a listing of other documented works by the artist
4.) For other reference works as listed in Neich (2004: Page 67)
Anaha Te Rahui (1822-1913), Ngati Tarawhai. Te Arawa canoe 1868, Whare Manuhiri at
Taheke 1870, Rangitihi 1871, Tokopikowhakahau 1878, Te Waata Taranui tomb 1882, Rauru
1899, model canoe for Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York 1902 (now in British Museum
TRH82); Nuku-Te-Apiapi 1905, carving motif samples 1909, Te Aomarama 1912 (Barrow
1969:68; Blackley 1997:39, 134,159,187; Cresswell 1977:44; Davis 1976:(5) 28; Doig and
Davidson 1989:86; Firth 1925:281, 289; Hakiwai 2003:91; Kernot 1984:148-151; Loughnan
1902:91; Mead 1986:119,168-172,193; Neich 1983:255,259,260,261; 1990:486-487;
1991:127, 129; 1995:36-37,48; 1997:193-195; 1998:11; 2001; Phillipps 1938 a;1941:11;
1970:72; 1946:43; Phillipps and McEwen 1948:54, 79; Pomare and Cowan 1930:261,269;
Simmons 1985:131; Stafford 1988:17, 21; 1996:104; Starzecka,Neich and Pendergrast
forthcoming, Taylor and Glen 1977:139-140,204,207,238; Tischner 1971:12,20; Auckland
Weekly News 15 March,1906:14-15; New Zealand Graphic, 7 April, 1900:645-8,14 April,
1900:689,691, 13 January 1906:31)
CATALOGUE NOTE
The offered bowl is so idiosyncratic in style and treatment that it can be attributed to the
carver Anaha Te Rahui. Throughout his long life Anaha Te Rahui saw many changes in Maori
culture, and as an artist, his work evolved with the times. Roger Neich has written extensively
on the woodcarvers of Ngati Tarawhai (2001). According to Neich, 'although he almost
certainly never worked with stone tools, Anaha was the last of the old Ngati Tarawhai canoe
builders. By the time the large carved house building movement got under way, Anaha was
already in late middle age and well established as the chief to Ngati Tarahwai. He enjoyed
wide contacts with many prominent Europeans and experienced European education through
his children, and from his work in the courts. He was literate in Maori. ...Anaha was clearly
very much a man of his people, a great leader and certainly not an alienated artist.'
CONDITION
The bowl has a square notch cut from it on the bottom rim. It is missing much of the Haliotis
shell inlaid eyes but the carving is crisp and undamaged and it has a dark brown aged patina.