19th Century Polynesian Togan Fighting Club None

Tongan Clubs are one of the most collected of the Polynesian clubs and favoured by tribal art collectors due to the superb workmanship.

The club is hand carved with inlaid bone decoration. The club is split into three relief-carved toothed sections. In the Polynesian culture they represent the teeth of a shark.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries there was no steel or bronze in the Pacific region. Warfare was conducted with wood, whalebone and stone.

Fighting with war clubs was the most honourable way for a warrior in the Polynesian culture.

Polynesians trained from a young age to use war clubs and in places club fighting became almost a martial art.

Each Polynesian culture had distinctive club styles.

~ Dimensions ~

The length of the club is 21.5 inches (54.4 cm), its width is 3.4 inches (8.5 cm) and its depth is 1.5 inches (3.8 cm).

It weighs 450 grams.

~ Condition ~

The club is in fair condition with general signs of wear. There are minor sports of green paint on the grip and four of the ‘teeth’ have missing tips.

ref. GS43082AE