A UNUSUAL SHARKTOOTH TOOL

[fearn]

I've seen some lovely modern shark-tooth weapons made from koa wood in shops in Maui and Hilo. Gorgeous things, impeccably crafted by native Hawaiians, but very modern. I'm with those who think this is a modern production. The ancient Hawaiians didn't have the drills to make those beautiful round holes, and their knuckledusters were wrapped around the hand with sennit.

It may indeed be associated with the (still-extant) martial art of Lua, but if so, it's a modern weapon, not an antique one.

F

[Sajen]

Sorry, I am disagree with the ones who think that this item is rather recent. What I can see from the pictures, the wood have a lot of wear. And I have respect to the eyes of a long time collector of ethnograhic items. The bindings from hair I never suspect to see by a recent item. And btw, I have seen nearly perfect drilled holes in sometimes very hard materials made from natives with simple tools.

Regards,

Detlef

[VANDOO]

I AM LUCKY TO HAVE ACCESS TO BOTH MODERN AND OLD ITEMS IN MY COLLECTIONS SO CAN DO COMPARASONS. THE USE OF A GOOD MICROSCOPE ALLOWS ME TO MAKE PROFESSIONAL OBSERVATIONS AND COMPARISONS. THOUGH I AM NOT A LICENSED CONSERVATOR I HAVE MADE OBSERVATIONS FOR MANY YEARS OF MANY ETHINOGRAPHIC ITEMS WEAPONS BEING A SMALL PORTION THEREOF. I HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF SHARK TOOTH AND OTHER TYPES OF FISH TEETH AND BONE WEAPONS AND A FEW TOOLS AVAILABLE BUT THIS ITEM WE DISCUSS HERE IS NEW TO ME. HANDELING THE ITEM I SUSPECT IT TO BE A TOOL OR CEREMONIAL ITEM FOR REASONS STATED ABOVE NOT A WEAPON. PERHAPS THE BISHOP MUSEUM OR ONE OF THE OTHER BIG MUSEUMS MAY HAVE AN EXAMPLE IN THEIR EXTENSIVE COLLECTIONS OR REFRENCES. I AM LIMITED IN BOTH FIELDS IN COMPARISON BUT DO THE BEST I CAN. THE HAIR LOOKS HUMAN AND IS TOO BRITTLE WITH AGE TO HAVE BEEN WORKED RECENTLY I COMPARED IT TO SEVERAL MANDAU I HAVE WITH HUMAN HAIR THAT ARE AROUND 150 YEARS OR OLDER. THE DUST SEEN IS NOT ARTIFICIALLY ADDED MUD OR GRIME AS I OFTEN SEE IN ITEMS FROM CHINA AND NEW GUINEA.
ATTACHED IS A LITTLE TABLE EXHIBIT OF TOOTHED WEAPONS I BROUGHT TO TIMONIUM IN 2007

[fearn]

There are a lot of ways to make hair brittle (it's worth asking a woman about this, as things as simple as sun, dyeing, and blowdrying make hair very brittle), and I've got some tiger shark teeth I purchased years ago on eBay for a shark's tooth weapon I never got around to making.

Sorry, I don't buy that this is old. The design simply isn't old. As others have noted, it's a half-way decent knuckleduster. However, if it's been artificially aged, I'll change my opinion about whether it was created as a Lua tool or art piece, and start thinking darker thoughts.

F

[VANDOO]

OK YOU WIN, DISREGARD ALL I HAVE POSTED ON IT.
PERHAPS ITS A MINNIEHUNI KNUCKLEDUSTER FROM HAWAII
IF IT IS A RECENT FAKE THEY DID THE BEST JOB I HAVE EVER SEEN AND SOLD IT WAY TOO CHEAP FOR THE WORK THAT WENT INTO IT ONLY A FEW HOURS PAY AT MC DONALDS WOULD PAY FOR IT. FROM THE PICTURES I THOUGHT IT WAS RECENT WHEN I BOUGHT IT BUT IT INTERESTED ME AND THE WORKMANSHIP LOOKED GOOD THE PRICE WAS RIGHT AND NO OTHER BIDDERS SO I TOOK A CHANCE. THE ITEM IS EXTREAMLY SMALL, DELICATE AND FRAGILE. I JUST HOPE TO FIND OUT IF IT IS A KNOWN ARTEFACT AND WHAT IT IS AND ITS USE.
IF IT IS A MODERN FANTASY ITEM MADE USING VERY SOPHISTICATED PRIMATIVE TOOLS, METHODS AND ADVANCED AGEING TECKNIQUES SOMEONE VERY SKILLED SURE WORKS CHEAP AND I WOULD LOVE TO HIRE THEM TO MAKE ME A FEW REPLICA ITEMS THAT ARE USUALLY FAR OUT OF MY PRICE RANGE.

[fearn]

A gentlemens' disagreement, perhaps?

Actually, there is a good point here about human hair. We tend to uncritically use its presence as a guide to authenticity, but it wouldn't be at all hard to get hair to use as a binding, if someone either wanted to experiment with it (for authenticity's sake) or to make a fake.

F