Featured Dayak Baby Carrier

Any info on this awesome piece will be greatly appreciated.

12" / 30cm tall
8.5" / 22cm wide

Two coins are both dated 1945. Perhaps it's a piece made for / that came to the USA in the aftermath of WW2?

Thanks in advance!

@Any Jewelry
@komokwa
@2manybooks

 

What cool and very interesting looking thing. The use of the coins really makes one wonder. Great find!

 

Very nice find, good condition, well cared for.

Afaik, the US forces weren't in Borneo post-war, the Australians were the ones to hold the fort. In most of the rest of Indonesia it was the British.

Those coins are still to be found in Indonesia, and are often used as a decoration/symbol, for good luck, in some parts even as currency. At least they date the baby carrier as post-war, probably later still.

 

Beautiful piece Pott, love Dayak-good find.

 

Thanks AJ.

And thanks Bosko-- I found it at my own antique mall. A good price plus dealer's 10% off, plus 'frequent spender' bucks made it a great deal.

He also had a beaded one, but there was significant damage, plus I like this all-wood one better.

 

That's very nice !
A hard one to pass up !!

The wear and carving and fibres look consistent with the coins dating, imo.
I like the talismans hung on it.... they're honest.

 

Pott- My fave 2 places are still Sellwood & Aurora,Sellwood still IMHO has more neighborhood ambience though.
PS-Plus where else in Portlandia did Lady Gaga have a recording session !

 

Cool!

https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/baby-carriers/