Cockspur Container

Bahau Dayak, Borneo
19th–early 20th c.

Provenance: Private American collection

This rare cockspur container from the Bahau Dayak of Borneo was created to hold the sharp metal blades used in ritual cockfighting. The container itself is made of smooth bamboo, its surface deepened to a warm, lustrous patina through long handling. The stopper is finely carved from hardwood and takes the form of a powerful monster face, an image charged with protective force.

The sculptural head displays a bold, mask-like visage: wide, circular eyes projecting alertness, and curling, tendril-like motifs below the nose that seem to flare outward like tusks or fangs. The interplay of rounded and angular forms creates a vivid sense of compressed energy, imbuing the container with both menace and vitality. Such monstrous imagery was not merely decorative—it was believed to guard the contents and lend its power to the high-stakes world of cockfighting, a practice that carried both social prestige and spiritual resonance among the Dayak.