THE EYRIE
In stock
Two Haast eagles meet in this magnificent jade Heru
THE EYRIE was hand carved by artist and carver, Kerry Thompson. This is a remarkable work of art - beautifully designed and faultlessly carved. A piece to use - it is fully functional as shown in one of the attached photos - or, as a collectors item. This will become an heirloom and certainly, in our view, should be regarded as a taonga and treasured.
THE HERU - heru are an ornamental comb that were traditionally worn by māori men to secure hair tied into a topknot. The topknots were decorated with feathers and held together with the heru, which also served to indicate the rank of the wearer. Traditionally they were carved from wood, or from whalebone. We have attached a photo of a lithograph (courtesy of the Alexander Turnbull library) showing a traditional heru worn.
THE HAAST EAGLE - now extinct, this eagle is believed to have been the largest eagle that has ever existed. It was found in the South Island of New Zealand - the home of pounamu - and is believed to be the bird (Poukai) referred to in many māori legends. Kerry has integrated this wonderful raptor into the head of his heru in a wonderful stylised form.
THE EYRIE is a large comb carved from a gorgeous, single piece of New Zealand Jade. The stone Kerry used is semi-translucent, and has myriad small dark inclusions which are clearly visible suspended in the clear green stone. This can best be seen in the video which shows the piece slowly revolving.
This is a very tactile piece. It is beautiful to hold, the finish is silky smooth and absolutely functional. Kerry has perfectly executed this one off work of art. The finish accentuates the depth of the jade, and it allows the variation in colours to emerge. The stone is 'hefty' giving THE EYRIE weight and substance - a remarkable carving and a very bold piece of tradition.
The shape is streamlined, gloriously curved and quite unique. We suggest you take a look at the video to appreciate the artistry of this exquisite piece.
DELIVERY WITH DHL EXPRESS COURIER IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE.
Hand made in New Zealand.
Artist: Kerry Thompson
Material: New Zealand Pounamu
Size: 190mm (7.4") long; 52mm (2") wide at top
