The offered example is of a medium weight wood.  The insides of the beaks form concave channels  as they face the middle handle section and there are traces of lime infill in the incised carvings.  Chiefly spatulas from Collingwood Bay were almost unknown until recently and to date very few have come out of the bush, top examples such as this are very uncommon in public or private collections.  With a custom base @ 14 3/4, (37.5cm).  field collected by Michael Hamson,  Uika Village, vintage 1900 - 1930.  A profound patina of use and age, well worn, delicate in the hand.  $poa.  contact: garra@oceanicarchive.com

We are taught by Michael Hamson’s and Richard Aldridge’s excellent book,  Art of the Massim and Collingwood Bay, that chiefly spatulas taking the form of double hornbill beaks, opposing each other, as in this example, are known as wangi nuwa.  Typical as well for Collingwood Bay material culture, is an asymmetrical incised geometric motif, frequently differing from one side to the other.

If you have an interest in such things, please contact us as we are keen to communicate and might have other examples for sale.  These are rare objects and certainly a genre to be appreciated.