Tapuvae stilt stirrup

In the Marquesas Islands, stilts were used for ritual sports events and funeral ceremonies. They were equipped with a tupuvae stirrup carved from an iron wood called toa. The stirrup is represented here in its most classic form: a powerful tiki figure with bent legs, arched back and characteristic face with large open eyes. The curved front of the footrest, with its finely engraved geometric design, is reminiscent of the head ornament with rooster feathers worn by chiefs, known as ta’avaha. Unlike most stirrups, whose tiki is shown with hands resting on the belly, our model, with its beautiful dark, shiny patina, is shown here with both hands supporting the footrest. Marie Gaston Louis de Marcé (1832-1893) Enseigne de vaisseau, he embarked on September 1, 1853 on the wheeled corvette Le Phoque, and on September 24 of the same year took part in the French takeover of New Caledonia on the orders of Admiral Febvrier-Despointes. It was probably during a stopover in the Marquesas Islands, on his way to New Caledonia, that Louis de Marcé collected this stirrup. Price: €15,500