Rare pre-1900 Paiwan club

[ausjulius]

Originally Posted by Ian

I don't usually collect clubs, but I was very surprised to find this extremely rare Paiwan club on offer by an Australian auction house known for dealing in Oceanic and Asian antiques. I ended up paying more than I expected because another bidder also recognized the rarity of this piece.

Despite its age, it is still in good condition despite some signs of it having been used. The decorations in red and black along the shaft are of typical Paiwan design, and finish in a carved snake's head at the end. It is only the second example of a Taiwanese club thqat I have seen.

The pictures are from the auction site. I will post more detailed views when it arrives.


Overall length = 56 cm (~22.2 in)

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haha damn small world, i was about to post this throwing club. went for more than id like to pay unfortunately i probably pushed up your final price a little.. it is indeed Taiwanese as far as i understand, . ive seen a black and white photo from an old auction catalogue probably from the 50s that had many Taiwanese items showing a similar style of club.
have you any images of any other examples?

[Ian]

Hi ausjulius.

Yes, it was more than I expected to pay, but its rarity compelled me to push ahead. I don't have any pictures of other Paiwan clubs unfortunately. I think these were largely ceremonial and a mark of superior social status.

Regards, Ian

[ausjulius]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi ausjulius.

Yes, it was more than I expected to pay, but its rarity compelled me to push ahead. I don't have any pictures of other Paiwan clubs unfortunately. I think these were largely ceremonial and a mark of superior social status.

Regards, Ian

Hey, yes it's a high price but also an exceptionally rare item.
As to their use, I'd imagine they are hunting clubs or weapons. If they were some sort of ceremonial sceptre I'd expect a more ornate less functional shspe. Like you see on some of the west African or Fijian sceptres and ceremonial clubs.. but it's a functional shspe suited to throwing.
When you get the club check it's geometry and the materials used, weight, density, edge of the club. I'm very curious.

The only image I've seen was simply a low resolution image of a mixed lot of Taiwanese items,spears swords and these clubs.
Have you seen any other information on these?
As to mysterious clubs.. I'd say clubs and throwing clubs were probably common in many cultures but have faded away..
I recall as a kid reading a book discussion north eastern India and Bhutan-, alas I can't recall the name but the as author made mention 2 times to throwing clubs and games played with them and of people making these clubs among some of the Bhutanese natives.. bug what such clubs looked like I've no idea as there is no clubs in Bhutan today and no Bhutanese I've met knows anything about such things..
But I'm sure until the industrial period many cultures kept the use of these.
Another obscure one is Thai bladed wooden clubs called "Komfaag".. .
..or the carved Breton clubs from north eastern France..
Or the clubs used by Mongolian ethnicities in inner Mongolia..
These things have faded from common use in these cultures but were once wide spread and common in those societies but now most people would not recognise them and little if anything has been written and documented about them
I suspect these Taiwanese clubs are similar . Probably once every ethnic group had such items but they just faded from the common cultural memory.
Would be curious to see more examples.. or contact a museum in Taiwan or Japan and see what other examples are known