This striking piece is a figure from an Admiralty Islands bed post. In the Admiralty Islands elaborate carved beds are made for brides. The beds are made from a special wood that signifies the strength and endurance of the marriage. The four vertical posts and the two horizontal members are often elaborately carved. This figure is from one such horizontal member as can be seen by the square hole behind the crocodile's head where the vertical post was inserted. The smoky patina comes from the fact that a fire is lit underneath the bed for thirty days where the bride sleeps alone in her fiancés new house (Kuluah 1977 quoted in Ohnemus 1998, p. 282). This piece has strong remains of white, black and red pigments, is 41" in height. sold