This is a nice early example of a classic Phantom fighting shield from the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea. These came into existence in the 1960/70s from a popular comic book character who became a cult hero to the tribal fighters of the New Guinea Highlands. The image shows the buff character defiantly staring down his adversary and all the weapons pointed at him—which includes a Gatling machine gun, a forked spear, straight-tip spear, axe, bush knife and some form of rifle. In Melanesian Pidgin the writing "man I no save dai" translates as the "man who doesn’t know how to die." The shield is 60" in height, shows extensive age and wear and sells for $5000. Questions?