Godstick, D24.1260

Prox. end shaft has two sided face with pronounced nose, lip and mouth.
Area above nose carved; one one face eye 1 has koru design substituting for eyeball and eye 2 has curvilinear lines which also adorn one cheek. Both foreheads have double spirals radiation up from corner of eyes. On the corresponding rear face both eyes are uncarved. Both mouths have protruding tongues and distinctive relief carving attributable to Kai Tahu. Distal shaft is pointed. Each face has a top knot.

Later entry:
This was purchased by W.F. From Charles Napier, Collector and dealer, about 1912. Said to be one of a pair. The second has never been traced.
Catalogue card:
prox. end shaft has two sided face with pronounced nose, and mouth.
Area above nose carved and mouth itself with curvilinear lines,
however nose and tongue are left plain.
Dist shaft is pointed
note in H.D.S hand says: This was purchased by W.F. from Charles Napier, collector and dealer, about 1912. Said to be one of a pair. The second has never been traced.
Entry in W Fels catalogue (462) states:
Two sticks were found in 1888 in a cave with some Maori baskets by a station-boy, who gave them to Mrs Langmuir on Kitcheners Moa Flat station now Adou (?) Adams: One stick was used to prop up a window and eventually lost, the other passed into the hands of Murray Thomson, who sold it with his collection to a Mr Napier from whom Mr H Skinner bought it for me March 20th, 1913
Later entry:
See: Barrow 1969 "Maori Wood Sculpture" p33
Later entry:
to store 6/86
temp display Gallery Stage I 12/88

Purchased from Charles Napier

Moa Flat