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Overview
This plaster cast was commissioned by Augustus Hamilton, Dominion Museum Director from 1903 - 1913 when he died. He wanted to repatriate taonga of Maori art as permanent examples of Maori history. He contacted the British Museum in 1904 to ask for several plaster casts to be made of taonga in the collection, and again asked for more casts in 1909 making a total of at least 40 casts made and sent to Hamilton's specifications based on his book 'Hamilton's Maori Art' and 'Edge-Partington's Ethnographical Series.'
Wood flute (nguru) with two modulating holes on the side and two, with haliotis shell rings, on the curved end. Two contorted figures with extending tongues are carved on the sides with the mouthpiece shaped as the mouth of a head with haliotis shell eyes. A lug on one side is for a suspension cord, now lost. (British Museum Description)