Extremely early ancient example displaying large, heavy bulbed head final and conical pointed beak section similar to wood and stone headed fightling pick types from the lake Eyre Desert area. Fluted and decorated handle section with elongated bee hive rat tail grip final. Club displays beautiful root stock ripple and superb deep rich age patina with excellent balance and weight in hand. This leangle club type with bulbous head forms a style inbetween the crescent leangles and heavy Lyl-Lil clupe types and comes from the western Victorian area and very possibly dates from pre contact period (see Edge-Partington p350 No.1 & 4 Heap Collection example, also Australian Gallery Director's Council p96,97 examples, s80, s82 Christensen Collection, National Gallery Victoria). This club type was considered to be the most lethal as the sharply pointed head could reach around narrow parrying shields. Red River Gum or Pink Box Tree, late 1700s early 1800s. Ex Robert Croll Collection Victoria, Palmer Collection Queensland.

Length: 75cm (29.5 inches) tip of beak to handle final.

SOLD