Lot 98 , A Santa Cruz Islands feather currency tevau, Solomon Islands, Melanesia

A Santa Cruz Islands feather currency tevau, Solomon Islands, Melanesia, with two coils of red honeyeater (myzomela cardinalis) bird feathers on a fibre strip with chequered decoration, each terminating in a bark ring, suspended with strands of coix seeds and shells, approx. 64cm wide overall

Provenance: Purchased by the owner's father in 1992, when listed as circa 1880. Presented alongside a scan of the receipt and a copy of A. Hinston Quiggin's 'A Survey of Primitive Money - The Beginnings of Currency'.
£800-1,200

Sold for £3,000