Context (Acquisition Details)
Collected by Dr George Brady
Event Date
Author: maa

Context (Related Documents)
Register entry for E 1902.325 notes 'BW 1184' and Dr Brady (by exchange)'. Annotated later in the margin in pencil '£10.0.0'
Added later in blue ink 'See Z 6457'.

Event Date 1902
Author: rachel hand

Description (CMS Description)
Tiki, with head looking right. Made from human cranium. Drilled for suspension
Event Date 2/7/1993
Author: maa

Description (Labels & Markings)
The number '1184' is written on the rear of the tiki in white ink, and is similar to other W.D. Webster and J.C. Stevens lot numbers.
Event Date 27/4/2020
Author: rachel hand

Description (Labels & Markings)
A handwritten paper label on the rear reads '1902.235/ Bone Tiki/ New Zealand/ Dr Brady/ By Exch)'

Event Date 27/4/2020
Author: rachel hand

Context (Related Documents)
The entry for Z 6457 notes 'Bone tiki (1902.325) New Zealand Brady Bequest'.
This presumably refers to George S. Brady (1832- 1921) as Henry Bowman Brady died 1891 and bequeathed his collections to the Museum, as suggested by the Z register entry. The same year, his brother George S. Brady also donated material, mainly collected by his Quaker missionary Great Uncle, Daniel Wheeler, but potentially also his own brother.

However the original accession number E 1902.325 suggests that the Z 6457 reference to the 'Brady bequest' may be an error due to the association with the Bradys, as the hei tiki appears to have formed part of an exchange between Dr George Brady and the MAA curator Baron A. von Hügel.

The 1902 register entry is confusing as it suggests that while hei tiki may have been exchanged with Brady, the note 'BW 1184', suggests it was bought via or from dealer William D. Webster - this is shorthand for 'Bought [from] Webster' and the Webster sale or lot no '1184'.
Event Date 7/6/2022
Author: rachel hand

Context (Amendments / updates)
The reference to 'BW' in conjunction with the number '1184' may refer to a Webster lot or sale number.

This may suggest the hei tiki was purchased by MAA Curator Anatole von Hügel through an exchange with naturalist Dr George Brady (1832-21) and that Brady had originally purchased the hei tiki from William D. Webster.




Event Date 7/6/2022
Author: rachel hand

Description (Physical description)
Köiwi tangata (human remains). A bone hei tiki made from a cranium with the head looking right. Drilled for suspension
Event Date 8/6/2022
Author: rachel hand

Description (Physical description)
A number '6' appears to be written on the rear of the tiki on the endocranial surface
Event Date 13/11/2024
Author: Rachel Hand

Context (Analysis)
The tiki is made from a human cranium as suggested in the documentation
From observations by Dr Trish Biers, Curatorial Manager of the Duckworth Laboratory, 13/11/2024
Event Date 13/11/2024
Author: Rachel Hand