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ID #SA1161640
FOR SALE
£1,250
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A Rare 19th Century Antique Fijian Ula Drisia South Seas Island Warrior’s Club
For sale by Sandbanks Antiques
for sale €1,463     $1,588
£1,250
Sandbanks Antiques

Sandbanks Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jan 2025
Browse dealers 205 items
  • About Us
    Specialising in antique silver, gold boxes, gold coins and objects de vertu. Rare fine-quality imperial chinese porcelain, jades, cloisonné
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Id #SA1161640
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A Rare 19th Century Antique Fijian Ula Drisia South Seas Island Warrior’s Club

19th century
Description

A Rare early 19th Century Antique Fijian Ula Drisia South Seas Island Warrior’s Club

A Superbly patinated root ball throwing - club with geometrically carved handle

Head of Burl or Rootwood, Shaft snugly socketed into the base of head.

The grip is incised in a typically Fijian zig-zag pattern

Length:- 41cm approx

Probably early 1800's

Condition:- Very good

Throwing clubs for human targets were only found in Fiji and take several forms ranging from types resembling short Woodstock clubs to lobed throwing clubs. They could be used in three main ways, either thrown in high arcing volleys (as a substitute for bows and arrows), thrown at point blank range to kill a man outright (commonly used by Fijian assassins) or to deliver the final blow to an otherwise incapacitated man. Men became very attached to their throwing clubs and often wore a pair tucked into their waist sash, pistol fashion. After the death of their owner, many were wrapped in barkcloth with atabua whalebone, smeared in turmeric and kept inside a basket in the temple.

Provenance:- Brought back from Australia by boat from the owners family circa 1880's

A museum quality piece rare to find

Physical Dimensions
Height
41cm (16.14")
Declaration

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Antique Fijian Throwing Club to the 1800s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1161640
Description
A Rare early 19th Century Antique Fijian Ula Drisia South Seas Island Warrior’s Club

A Superbly patinated root ball throwing - club with geometrically carved handle

Head of Burl or Rootwood, Shaft snugly socketed into the base of head.

fig 1. A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip.
fig 1. A Rare 19th Century Antique Fijian Ula Drisia South Seas Island Warrior’s Club

The grip is incised in a typically Fijian zig-zag pattern

Length:- 41cm approx

Probably early 1800's

Condition:- Very good

“
Throwing clubs for human targets were only found in Fiji and take several forms ranging from types resembling short Woodstock clubs to lobed throwing clubs.
Sandbanks Antiques

They could be used in three main ways, either thrown in high arcing volleys (as a substitute for bows and arrows), thrown at point blank range to kill a man outright (commonly used by Fijian assassins) or to deliver the final blow to an otherwise incapacitated man. Men became very attached to their throwing clubs and often wore a pair tucked into their waist sash, pistol fashion. After the death of their owner, many were wrapped in barkcloth with atabua whalebone, smeared in turmeric and kept inside a basket in the temple.

Provenance:- Brought back from Australia by boat from the owners family circa 1880's

A museum quality piece rare to find

Height
41cm (16.14")
Date of Manufacture

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Antique Fijian Throwing Club to the 1800s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1161640
Sandbanks Antiques
Sandbanks Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jan 2025

Specialising in antique silver, gold boxes, gold coins and objects de vertu. Rare fine-quality imperial chinese porcelain, jades, cloisonné

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Sandbanks Antiques Profile Page

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A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip.
1 / 14
Archive I A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip.

A Rare 19th Century Antique Fijian Ula Drisia South Seas Island Warrior’s Club

Archive II A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View II
Archive III A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View III
Archive IV A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View IV
Archive V A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View V
Archive VI A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View VI
Archive VII A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View VII
Archive VIII A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View VIII
Archive IX A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View IX
Archive X A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View X
Archive XI A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View XI
Archive XII A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View XII
Archive XIII A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View XIII
Archive XIV A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip. View XIV
Enlarged Archival View
Sandbanks Antiques

Sandbanks Antiques
Telephone 07889 139677
Location
Sandbanks
Poole
Dorset
United Kingdom

By appointment only in Poole or London.
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/sandbanks
Verified Since Jan 2025
Items For Sale 205
Items Sold 86
Sandbanks Antiques
Sandbanks Antiques
Verified Since Jan 2025
View Dealer Info
Location: Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset, United Kingdom, , By appointment only in Poole or London.
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/sandbanks
Verified
Jan 2025
For Sale
205
Sold
86
A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip.
A Rare 19th Century Antique Fijian Ula Drisia South Seas Island Warrior’s Club
Ref: SA1161640
A 19th-century Fijian Ula Drisia throwing club carved from dark polished hardwood with a lobed head and geometric carved handle grip.
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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectTribal Artefacts
  • Period19th century
  • StyleOceanic Tribal
  • MaterialPolished Hardwood
  • ColourWarm Brown
  • MotifsLobed head, Tavatava carved grip, Tapered shaft
  • SizeH 41 cm (16 in)

This 19th-century Fijian ula drisia throwing club originates from the Oceanic tribal tradition and belongs to the early 1800s period. It is an authentic warrior's club fashioned from polished hardwood in a rich warm brown timber colour with a high-gloss finish. The construction comprises a burl or rootwood lobed head fitted securely into the base of a tapered shaft, displaying natural wood grain variations and subtle surface wear consistent with age. Below the smooth central section, the handle features a distinct grip incised with a geometric zig-zag tavatava carved pattern running down to the flat base, and a small carved notch appears near the top of the globular head. The overall item measures 41 cm in height. Displaying strong ethnic character and historical presence, this tribal artefact suits placement within a gentleman's library or study environment. It stands upright on a flat surface or rests horizontally within a display cabinet or vitrine, and fits neatly onto a bookshelf among volumes of history and exploration. Collectors of Oceanic art and ethnographic material utilize such pieces as focal points for interior styling, placing them where the dark polished timber tones contrast against neutral backgrounds.

FAQs

An Ula Drisia is a traditional Fijian throwing or missile club, typically hand-carved from dense native hardwood with a rounded, lobed rootstock head and a tapered handle.

Fijian throwing clubs were predominantly carved from dense, heavy hardwoods, often utilizing the root knob of young trees to form the weighted head for maximum momentum.

Authentic 19th-century examples display natural patination from handling, dense heavy timber, hand-carved tavatava geometric grip patterns, and specific structural proportions characteristic of traditional Fijian woodworking.

Ethnographic objects and tribal weapons are commonly displayed on custom metal mounts on bookshelves, mantelpieces, or inside glazed cabinets to serve as focal points alongside modern decor.

Hardwood artefacts should be kept in a climate-controlled environment away from direct sunlight and heat sources to prevent cracking. Occasional application of microcrystalline wax helps preserve the wood finish.
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