Necklace, Lei Niho Palaoa, sperm whale tooth and hair, Hawai - Lot 19

Lot 19
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40000 - 60000 EUR
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Necklace, Lei Niho Palaoa, sperm whale tooth and hair, Hawai - Lot 19
Necklace, Lei Niho Palaoa, sperm whale tooth and hair, Hawaiian Islands, Polynesia Necklace height: 26 cm. Provenance: - Bela Hein Collection (1883-1931), Paris - Marc de Monbrison Collection (1942-1985), Paris. - Collection of gallery owner Naila de Monbrison (1940-2025). This necklace is one of the most important in this narrow corpus. In the Hawaiian archipelago, whose highly hierarchical social organization was described as early as 1778 by Captain James Cook, the hereditary nobility, known as the Ali'i, held political and religious authority. The chiefs, or noho Ali'i, demonstrated their rank through regal attributes such as mahiole headdresses, 'ahu'ula feather capes and the prestigious lei niho palaoa necklace - literally "sperm whale tooth necklace". This necklace of power, worn by both men and women of high rank, consists of a finely sculpted sperm whale tooth pendant, usually in the shape of a stylized fishhook, suspended from an imposing network of cords made from strand-braided human hair. The hair, taken from deceased lineage members, concentrated mana, the spiritual force essential to Polynesian beliefs, while the sperm whale tooth, a rare and precious material, evoked the power of the sovereign animal of Hawaiian waters. The piece presented here stands out for the remarkable preservation of its braided hair ornament - an element often missing - and for the exceptional size and elegance of its pendant. Combining symbolic power, sculptural virtuosity and formal quality, this lei niho palaoa is one of the most fascinating emblems of 19th-century Hawaiian art and aristocracy. Appraised by Mr. Pierre Mollfulleda, Specialist in Oceanic and African Arts. A Lei Niho Palaoa, made of whale tooth and hair, Hawaiian Islands, Polynesia.
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