British Museum collection record for Figure — British Museum (Oc1904,1220.1)

Catalogue number: British Museum: Oc1904,1220.1

Passage: Museum number

Reported holder: British Museum

Passage: Institutional catalogue record

Classification: figure

Passage: Object Type

Made at: Easter Island

Passage: Production place

Material: wood

Passage: Materials

Description: Fishlike figure (phallus, with human figure) made of wood.

Passage: Description

Description: Height: 49.50 centimetres Width: 9 centimetres Depth: 12 centimetres

Passage: Dimensions

Description: Registration slip description, written in 1904: Easter Island Wood, hard dark, short club like object, head shaped like a fish's head, also suggesting a phallus, open mouth & teeth; the handle carved to represent an emaciated human male, on hands & knees, with large phallus depending between legs. Vendor's first name given in letter dated 7 Nov. 1904 in correspondence in Medieval and Later Antiquities. She states that the figure 'was given as a present to her late husband by a Dr that had travelled the world.'

Passage: Curator's comments