Patu Paraoa

Provenance: Ex collection : 
Julian & Barbara Harding pre-1990 (see photo of Julian Hardin's letter dated 2005)
Important Tribal Art, Lot 260, Sotheby's, Londres — 21 juin 1993

Literature: Julian Harding in his descriptive letter of 2005 offers that the missing section of this patu was specifically created to accomodate the users thumb when grasping the weapon for combat. I beg to differ and propose that the missing section has specific caracteristics that can be related to a blunt force trauma such as a lead bullet from a musket. Weapons are often damaged in combat and this could be one example of what can happen on the battlefield to such a prestigious weapon. It is of course pure conjecture, but one can surmise that perhaps the Patu deflected a bullet, saving the Maori warrior from injury and thus acquiring powerful mana for both it's owner and the Patu.