Figural Stick Comb
Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea, d. late 19th c.
Parinarium-nut paste, wood, and fiber
Ex–Rosella Dalke, Santa Cruz, Calif., ex–old English collection
8½” h x 2¾” w (21.59 x 6.99 cm)
SOLD
Among comb types in the Admiralty Islands, the stick comb—“in which a number of wooden sticks are bound together and additionally fixed by a coating of mastic”—is general. Consisting of eight to 14 sticks, the masticated handle of these comb were decorated with figural or geometric motifs. Besides their use in arranging the hair, stick combs were worn in the hair, chiefly by men, on occasions of ceremonial importance. Although believed to originate from the interior of Manus Island, stick combs diffused themselves to all parts of the Admiralty Islands (Ohnemus 1998: 28–31). For similar examples, vide Ohnemus (1998: 33–35, figs. 22.1–14).
