AN EXTRAORDINARY WALKING STICK MADE FROM THE BATTLE SPEAR OF HAWAII’S ‘KAMAHAMEHA THE GREAT’
[L-R] A portrait of King Kamehameha I (circa 1796-1819) and an important and rare walking stick from a section of Kamehameha I's Kauila Wood Spear, Hawaiian Islands, estimated at $80,000 – 100,000.
Los Angeles – An important and rare Hawaiian walking stick made from the battle spear of the first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii, King Kamehameha I (circa 1796-1819), will be offered at Bonhams’ African, Oceanic & Pre-Columbian Art sale from November 21 – December 5. A powerful warrior, King Kamehameha I - also known as ‘Kamehameha the Great’ - is recognized for uniting the islands into one royal kingdom in 1810 after years of conflict. Esteemed as one of Hawaii's greatest spearmen, King Kamehameha I likely wielded this remarkable spear during the pivotal Battle of Nuʻuanu, a decisive victory that marked the culmination of the struggle for unification. The spear was beautifully repurposed into a walking stick that stands as a testament to craftsmanship and historical significance with an estimated value of $80,000 – 100,000.
Treasured for generations in Hawaii, a section of the spear was skilfully crafted into this walking stick by an educational committee in Maui. The school sought to create a meaningful memento to express their gratitude to their beloved guest teacher, Dr. Jesse H. Coursault (1871-1937). As the Dean of the School of Education at the University of Missouri, Dr. Coursault delivered a series of special lectures in 1925 at the Territorial Normal and Training School, a teacher's college in Honolulu, while also observing educational conditions across the islands.
The spear was made from kauila wood, a material often associated with royalty and is historically revered for its strength and magical properties. Kauila wood was utilized by kahuanas, the spiritual leaders and practitioners of ancient Hawaiian traditions, for its potency in weaving spells. The Territorial Normal and Training School had the walking stick polished and elegantly mounted in fine silver, adorned with the Royal Coat of Arms of Hawaii, and inscribed with the message: "To Dr. J.H. Coursault, from his students, Normal School Honolulu, Summer 1925."
[L-R] A superb Colima Seated Figure of a Chief, Comala Style, Protoclassic, 100 BC - AD 250, estimated $40,000 – 60,000, and Biwat Sacred Flute Stopper, Yuat River, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, estimated at $80,000 – 120,000.
Additional sale highlights include:
A Biwat Sacred Flute Stopper, Yuat River, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, collected on the La Korrigane Expedition (1934-1936) and estimated at $80,000 – 120,000.
A superb Colima Seated Figure of a Chief, Comala Style, Protoclassic, 100 BC - AD 250, formerly in the world-renowned Edwin & Cheri Silver Collection, Los Angeles, estimated $40,000 – 60,000.
A fine and rare Dome Headed Club, Fiji Islands, estimated at $30,000 – 40,000.
A Baule Monkey Figure, attributed to the Baule Master of the Double Auricle, Cote d'Ivoire, estimated at $40,000 – 60,000.
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In 2023, Bonhams achieved 14% growth with $1.14 billion in turnover. Recent important auctions and landmark single-owner collections, include the white glove sales of Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection, Alain Delon: Sixty Years of Passion; Sir Roger Moore: The Personal Collection; Personal Property of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and The Robert & Jean-Pierre Rousset Collection of Asian Art: A Century of Collecting. Other notable single-owner sales included The Estate of Barbara Walters: American Icon; The Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; The Crown Auction: Props and Costumes and The Claude de Marteau Collection.
Top lots for 2023 include 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta, Sold at Quail Lodge, US for US$30,255,000. Tipu Sultan’s Bedchamber Sword (sold in London for £14m – a world record for both an Islamic and an Indian object); Paul Signac (1863-1935), Sisteron, 1902. Sold for US$8,580,000 (estimate US$4-6 million), and Claude Monet (1840-1926), La Seine près de Giverny, 1888. Sold for US$6,352,500 (estimate US$4-6m), both from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; A Gilt Copper Alloy figure of Virupaksha, Central Tibet, Densatil Monastery, Early 15th century. Sold for HK$37.9m (£4,060,326) in Hong Kong. Yoshitomo Nara (born 1959) Three Stars. Sold for HK$36,754,000 (£3,930,914, also in Hong Kong
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