A Rare and Exceptional Carved Headrest ‘Kali Hahapo’

Epoque: 1700-1900, Late 18th / Early 19th century

Medium: Wood, coconut ‘sennet’ fibre, glass beads

Dimension: 19 x 53 cm (7¹/₂ x 20⁷/₈ inches)

Provenance: Ex Captain A.W.F. Fuller (1882 - 1961) given to Dr Roland Force, in recognition of Force’s work in cataloguing the Fuller collection (see: below)
Ex Julian Harding collection
Ex Wayne Heathcote
Ex Patricia Withers collection (1934 - 1998) London
Ex Sotheby’s London 1988
Ex Nasser Gallery 2010
Ex Private collection

See:
‘The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection’ 2010, pg. 246, ill. 146
‘The Fuller Collection of Pacific Artefacts’, Lund Humphries, London 1971
A comparable example in the Tongan National Museum, Tofoa. Also several neck-rests part of the collections in the National Museum of Australia, Canberra (inv. Oz 347 and inv. Oz 348)

CF:
Pierre Loos, Bayet et Caltaux, ‘La tête dans les étoiles. Appuis-Nuque d’Afrique et d’ailleurs’, BRUNEAF, 2012: pg. 157

Literature: Of elegant arching form and carved in one piece from a dense, fine grained wood, possibly ‘Intsia bijuga’. Neck-rests of this type were used in Tonga as pillows to ensure that the elaborate coiffure of the owner would not be disturbed during sleep. ‘Kali’ acquired ‘mana’ (the spiritual force) by repeated contact with the owner’s head and in the case of a chief became objects of great prestige.
     This example, from the renowned Captain Fuller collection, is exceptional for the elegance and purity of its form, especially evident in the strongly curved legs ending in subtle horizontal flange feet. To each end of the ‘cross-bar’ glass beads have been inserted to enhance the decorative appeal and importance of this piece.
     In the opinion of George Ortiz no civilisation has equalled the Pacific Islanders’ superb furniture and domestic objects. Writing of Tongan neck-rests the great connoisseur of Polynesian Art Edward Dodd said: ‘What wonderful springing forms!’
     For a comparable neck-rest (no. 689) in the James Hooper collection. Of classic Tongan form, it was however collected at Mbau, Fiji, in 1865. Compare also two ‘kali’ previously in the Fuller collection ( nos. 274498 and 274499) and now in the Field Museum, Chicago.

Exhibition: Exhibited:
BRUNEAF, Bruxelles, Belgium ‘La tête dans les étoiles’. ‘Appuis-nuque d'Afrique et d’ailleurs’, 6 - 10 June 2012