Overview
A hand-carved relief storyboard depicting a vibrant narrative of village life, featuring stilt houses, figures, and tropical flora.
Identification
Papua New Guinea Carved Wood Storyboard, Sepik River Style
Photo reference
3 uploaded photos
Story
Originating in the 1960s, Kambot storyboards successfully translated the fragile, traditional sago bark paintings of the Sepik River people into durable wooden narratives that introduced their culture to the globe.
Maker / Origin
Pioneered by carvers like the Waybenang brothers under the encouragement of Brother Joseph Schrader, Kambot village artists transitioned ancestral motifs onto portable sawmill offcuts.
Condition & Value
Value relies heavily on the structural integrity of the bas-relief figures and the preservation of the original natural pigment highlights, which easily fade over decades of display. The piece shows some surface dust and minor abrasions consistent with age and handling.
Full Research
See what it's actually worth.
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Market Analysis
The secondary market for Kambot storyboards is heavily saturated, with prices driven almost entirely by size, carving depth, and the presence of documented early provenance. A strict evaluation of the documentary evidence reveals no early collection tags or 1960s dates for this item, placing it in the late-20th-century decorative tourist-trade lane. Auction results demonstrate a distinct bifurcation: small (under 24-inch) boards at general estate auctions frequently hammer between $10 and $50, while standard-to-large boards (30-45 inches) achieve $140 to $225 at established auction houses like Ripley Auctions and Lawsons. High-end retail asking prices generally stall around $250 to $300 for undocumented examples. Without specific dimensions for the subject piece, the $100 to $200 fair market value represents the median expected hammer price for a well-executed, standard-sized storyboard, excluding the institutional premiums seen for massive architectural-scale boards or pre-1970s documented pieces.
Value Drivers
▲ Intricacy of the bas-relief carving, particularly dynamic scenes involving multiple figures and spirit houses.
▲ Presence of traditional surface treatments, such as natural earthen ochers and white lime highlighting.
▲ Overall scale; boards exceeding 40 inches in width command stronger secondary market attention.
Concerns
▼ Lack of stated dimensions prevents precise placement within the $50 (small) to $250 (large) pricing spectrum.
▼ Absence of early (1960s/1970s) collection provenance, which is required to push these past standard decorative valuations.
▼ Heavy market saturation of late-century tourist-trade carvings suppresses broader auction demand.
Best Venue
Specialist online marketplaces (eBay or Etsy) or mid-tier ethnographic auctions
Upside Potential
If physical inspection reveals specific mid-century collection dates, artist signatures (like the Waybenang brothers), or if the board exceeds 4 feet in length, valuation could approach $300-$400.
The upgraded report is now attached to this item.