spear(hunting)
- Museum number
- Oc.955
- Description
-
Hunting spear of two different kinds of woods; six barbs carved into the head along one side.
- Production date
- 19thc(early) (before 1844)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 250.50 centimetres
-
Width: 2.50 centimetres
-
Depth: 2.50 centimetres
- Curator's comments
-
As this object came from collection of Earl Moutnorris, it is likely it was collected by Frederick Bedwell, a midshipman on Phillip Parker King's voyages 1818-1821, who collected material for Mountnorris. See Siimpson 2021. After returning to England, he returned to live at Paterson, New South Wales.
-
Christy collection registration slip description, probably written in the 1860s:
'Port Jackson, N.S. Wales, Australia
Spear. Wood, barbed, head and shaft of different woods.
Arley Castle
264
7/7'
The Arley Castle reference indicates that this object was acquired from the sale of the contents of Arley Castle, Staffordshire, the property of Earl of Mountnorris, Viscount Valentia, which was held by Messrs Farebrother, Clark and Lye, 6th-21st December, 1852.
In the catalogue for the sale, Lot 264 was described as 'seven New Zealand Spears'. This incorrect provenance probably stems from the auctioneers' assessment of these objects.
-
Handwritten in ink on shaft:
Port Jackson New South Wales
Paper label on shaft 264 7/7.
Round label on shaft '955'.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2015 23 Apr-2 Aug, London, BM, G35, Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation
2015-2016 27 Nov-28 Mar, Canberra, National Museum of Australia, Encounters
- Acquisition date
- 1860s
- Acquisition notes
- It appears this object was acquired by Henry Christy from the Arley Castle collection sale in December 1852. After Christy's death in 1865 it came into the British Museum's collections as part of the Christy Collection bequest.
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Oc.955
- Additional IDs
-
CDMS number: Oc186?C1.955 (old CDMS no.)