c1910 Australia Queensland Aborigine Boomerang

A fine large original c1910 Eastern Australian hardwood Boomerang in good condition.

The boomerang has a nice crescent shape and has a smoother finish, with saw marks, than the Victorian period chipped surface, due to access by Aborigines of Western metal tools. The boomerang hasn’t been finished with dotted and striated incision decoration. The boomerang has been used by the evidence of wear on the tips. There are two main types of Boomerang from this region. Like in this case, small often steeply curved returning boomerangs used for hunting birds. The second type are fighting boomerangs, which are much larger. It has a dark chocolate colour patina.

The aboriginal boomerang has probably been around for at least 40,000 years. It is an iconic symbol associated with Australia. Most antique aboriginal boomerangs were not designed to come back.

Size: 51.5 cm (20 ¼ inches)
Weight: 161 g