The John Bannister Collection - D-Day and Militaria
Lot 2121:
Description
Fijian Totokia “Pineapple” War Club. This traditional hand carved weapon dates back to the 19th Century. If the Fijian’s are known for anything, it is their war-like nature and their weapons used in these activities. This powerful battle club was essentially a beaked battle hammer, whose purpose was to “peck” through an enemy’s skull. It is top heavy, with the weight concentrated around the bulbous, spiked “pineapple” head. With an abrupt, vicious stab without the need for a wide swinging arc. Made from indigenous “Vesi” wood, this particular example has a beautiful deep shine to it. Dimensions: 37” long and an impressive 2” diameter handle. The “beak” protrudes 4” from the 5” diameter spiked bulbous end. As would be expected from age and use, there are breaks, chips and cracks in various areas on the piece. Most noticeable are a 17” long crack down the front length of the handle, and a 9” long crack on the back near the head. These do not affect its effectiveness as an instrument of death. Note: along the back of the club are several series of dots or “pecks”. A central line that meanders a bit has 90 dots. They are approximately .24” apart. On the left of this line are two “pecks” 4.5” apart. On the right of the line are a series of 10 that are between 3” to 4” apart. Formidable Totokia’s like this one were often buried with chiefs or great warriors accompanying their spirits to the afterworld. For condition, please see photos.
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