WHAT IS IT???

HI, I didn't know what to put this under so I will try here. Looks antique, wood something?? It is about 20 inch long and about 12 inch tall. Took these pictures in store so I hope you can see good enough. They are asking a lot for it so I thought I would check here first. I have researched coming up with nothing. THANKS

 

It looks like a radiused slot and if so, something circular goes in it. Icon, mirror...some such and if that's missing what is this really worth?

 

It is hollow inside.

 

I see that.
Is it not a curved cut?

 

It is straight across on the top.

 

Curved inside yes

 

It looks like the bottom part of a vintage herb grinder...

 

Yes morgen94 it does look like it could be a bottom of a herb grinder, missing wheel. It just has me puzzled, they are wanting 50 for it.

 

I wouldn't buy it for that unless complete...if I really wanted it but it could be re-purposed though at less cost.

 

But does it seem the cut inside is a little deep for a herb grinder.

 

Seems to me, for that use, it would be more squat and wider for surely it would be less stable this design.

 

For 50 someone knew what it was. I will have to wait till the real people work during the week to ask. But keep helping guys.

 

It's an Indonesian slit drum, based on a traditional style, but made for the tourist/decorator trade. Missing the wood sticks used to actually play it.

They are a traditional wood percussion instrument, found primarily in the Pacific Islands, Africa, and Southeast Asia, with every culture having their own distinctive version.

Here's the style this one copies, from Bali: http://omgthatartifact.tumblr.com/page/289

 

Thanks taupou!!! I would never in a million years found that. It does look like it may have had green paint on it. Does the wood look old? Or what kind of wood do you think it is? Thank you

 

It just seems to have that paint-stained "antiqued" look associated with modern decorator items from Bali, that are in the style of older items, but not. I can't tell what kind of wood it is from the photos.

Check out old "tribal wood slit drums" on line. There are some great images from museum collections, with a wide range of styles and sizes, from small hand-held ones to large village drums, which were used in West Africa, as well as in parts of Papua New Guinea, to communicate long distances. A good book dealing with that type of slit drum is The Drum Language of the Lokelele Tribe, by John F. Carrington.

My interest in slit drums started years ago, when one was used at Aggie Grey's in Samoa, to signal meal time, back in the mid-'70s, when Aggie herself ran the hotel. The sound of the drum is one I'll never forget.
(Here's a 1982 New York Times article that captures the feel of the place, and mentions the drums: http://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/09/travel/aggie-grey-s-a-fabled-inn.html?pagewanted=all )

 

Taupou. whoah

 

There are a lot of videos on youtube if you want to hear what it sounds like but I was not able to find one with this shape.

 

THANKS EVERYBODY for helping me figure out what this was. And Taupou a big Thank you!! Mill Cove Treasures, I did listen to the you tube videos, and they make amazing sound.

 

Might be 'SPIFFY' for a dried flower arrangement!!!!