Aboriginal parrying shield or malcarra – £7500 at Minster Auctions.
This 2ft 4in (70cm) example of the wedge-shaped parrying shield or malcarra was offered for sale at Minster Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) in Leominster on August 18.
It has patterns cut with an animal tooth highlighted in white pipe clay, typical of shields from the Darling River or Murrumbidgee River region of New South Wales. It is probably early to mid 19th century in date - by 1850 most of south-eastern Australia was under European control and nearly all of the Aboriginal groups had been displaced.
Estimated at £2000-3000, it took £7500 from an online bidder.
