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Pitt Rivers Museum

1981.27.1.1

Headdress, in the form of a bird. [CW [OPS move] 24/7/2017]


1981.27.1.1

Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

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Collection type
Object
Description
Headdress, in the form of a bird. [CW [OPS move] 24/7/2017]
Long description
Made from wickerwork basketry with carved detachable head. The wicker work body with open elongated neck sits on a plaited basketry head ring. Below the neck there is a plant fibre fringe and the back of the bird is decorated with cassowary feathers. Two wicker work wings attached to the side of the body are covered in feathers. For the carved bird head, see [1981.27.1 .2]. [CW [OPS move] 24/7/2017]
Geographical reference
Sepik River area
Person
Field collector Brian F. Darcey
PRM source Brian F. Darcey
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1981
Date collected
By 1981
Acquisition information
Purchased: 1981
Materials and processes
Material Bird Feather, Material Wood Plant, Process Basketry, Process Woven, Process Painted, Process Carved
Dimensions
Height: max 407 mm total, Length: max 1194 mm total, Width: max 430 mm total, Height: max 357 mm, Length: max 1014 mm, Width: max 430 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1981.27.1.1 Other numbers: Darcey Collection no. C4
Research and responses

Brian F. Darcey see http://www.riverbendnelligen.com/bougainvillec2.html. According to this site Darcey, 'I lived in PNG for 25 years, 1955 to 1980. with the last 15 or so on Bougainville. Operated B.F. DARCEY & COMPANY PTY LTD at Rabaul until '65, then at Toniva. We were Cocoa and Trocas exporters, but also had a retail store at Toniva selling artifacts, jewellery, clothing etc. I flew my own Aztec, P2-BFD ... We were the original Rabaul agents for CRA Exploration ... [see] www.briandarcey.blogspot.com' [AP 11/02/2014]

Search terms: Clothing Headgear, Ornament, Basketry, Insignia, Religion, Figure, Headdress, Bird Figure