A leaf-shaped paddle from Buka
1872 British Association address: Let us see how far they serve to support our views as to variation and continuity now that they are put together.… Lastly, in fig. 11, we come to our Mahomedan emblem, or copy of the new moon. What is it? Who would have believed it was the chin of the human figure? Yet so it is. It is the last vestige of a human face, copied and recopied until all trace of the original has been completely lost.
Blue book entry [circa 1874] - Patterns consisting of animal and vegetable forms conventionalized in ornamentation 512 - 24 Paddles. Human figure shewing the transition by which the original designs have been lost and gradually converted into a crescent form. New Ireland Part p80
1875 ‘Evolution of Culture’: 'Having noticed one or two allied varieties of design in specimens that came into my possession, I determined to collect all that I could find as they came to this country. In the course of several years I succeeded in obtaining the series represented upon Plate IV. … In the last figure [Fig 11], nothing but a half moon remains [1884.61.40]. No one who compared this figure with the first of the series, without an explanation afforded by the intermediate links. would believe that it represented the nose of a human face. Unfortunately we do not know as yet the exact meaning of these designs, but when further information is obtained about them it will throw considerable light on similar transformations in prehistoric times.
Old General Pitt Rivers Label [before 1884] - [Printed small label] 523
Old General Pitt Rivers Label [before 1884] - [Printed label stuck to object on side with decoration AND on the other side, the labels are exactly the same wording] Paddle New Ireland. The crescent shaped figure with which it is ornamented probably represents the chin of a human face enlarged. The resemblance may be seen by reference to some of the preceding examples
Delivery Catalogue I entry [1884] - Paddles of the New Irelanders Paddle wood carved 523 Screen 176 177
Written on object [after 1884] - New Ireland PR coll blue 523
Accession Book IV entry [1920s] - 1884.61.1 - 65 Design - Development and Degradation of - 1884.61.29 - 41 Series of paddles with coloured designs to show possible degradation of design New Ireland (Buka type) Similar, broader, shorter, pointed blade [to 1884.61.39], with plain handle, coloured, carved, crescent design [Drawing]
Additional entry - 512 - 524 [1884.61.29 - 41] Blue Solomon Islands Buka formerly labelled New Ireland Buka paddles shewing development from man to crescent in PR coll. First reference by the General is when as Lane Fox he gave an address on Anthropology to the British Association. Transactions of the Sections. In 1872 page 168 paddles of 'the New Irelanders, one of the Papuan group of islands adjoining the one in which Bishop Patteson was lately murdered'. Bishop Patteson was murdered on Nukapu in the Santa Cruz group; the Solomon Group is next and then New Ireland. Distances are considerable. [BB]
Card Catalogue Entry [1940s] - Solomon Islands Buka (formerly labelled New Ireland) 523 Blue. Paddle; broad short pointed blade plain handle coloured carved crescent design. No 12 of series to show possible degradations of design
