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Kuna Mola 1960s - Kit Kapp Collection - Bird of Paradise

$ 21.11

Availability: 100 in stock
  • All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
  • Provenance: Ownership History Available
  • Featured Refinements: Collectible Mola
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: Panama

    Description

    This mola features a total of 6 different birds, the most interesting of which is the largest in the middle. This bird features a long neck and strange insect like antennas coming out of its head. I tried to research what sort of bird this could be, and the closest thing I could find is a certain type of Bird of Paradise that has antennas with balls on the end of them just like in the image. This bird however has a longer neck than a bird of paradise would have. But the Kuna were not often sticklers for proper proportions, so I think my guess may be correct. If you have any feedback as to what type of bird this is please let me know! This mola is 22w x 18h and was made in the 1960s.
    The Kit Kapp Collection.
    Kit Kapp was a cartographer who was hired to map the San Blas Islands in 1960. He quickly fell in love with the Kuna people and their art, and organized numerous lengthy expeditions to the islands over an 11 year period where he purchased thousands of molas and hundreds of Kuna nuchu carvings, as well as jewelry, basketry and other artifacts. In 1972 he published the seminal book
    Mola Art of the San Blas Islands,
    which is still one of the best reference books on the subject. Kit died in 2014. Between 1999 and 2016 we purchased the entire remainder of the Kapp Kuna collection.