Nineteen « New Guinea » sculptures by a mystery hoaxer from the Gene van Grecken Collection

In the 1960s Jean Guiart bought fifteen « New Guinea » woodcarvings from Gene van Grecken in Sydney for the National Museum of the Arts of Africa and Oceania in Paris and published nine of them. Some authorities on New Guinea art considered them forgeries and two of these advised Guiart of this but he rejected their judgement. The issue was referred to only once in print very briefly in a Sotheby’s sales catalogue. In 1987, van Grecken offered a further seven « New Guinea » woodcarvings for sale at auction in Sydney. They are similar to those bought by Guiart and are also inauthentic. This essay illustrates twelve of the carvings van Grecken sold to Guiart in the 1960s and the seven carvings he offered for sale in 1987 and argues for the view that they are not forgeries but part of a hoax perpetrated by an Australian artist, who remains anonymous, perhaps to see whether experts on New Guinea art can tell genuine woodcarvings from pastiches.Dans les années soixante Jean Guiart a acheté quinze « Nouvelle-Guinée » sculptures sur bois de Gene van Grecken a Sydney pour le Musée Nationale d’Afrique et Océanie à Paris et a publié neuf d’entre eux. Quelques autorités sur l’art de Nouvelle-Guinée les ont considerées des contrefaçons et deux de ces derniers ont donné des conseils sur ce sujet à Guiart mais il a rejeté leur jugement. La question a été mentionée seulement une fois en noir sur blanc trés brievement dans un catalogue des ventes de Sotheby. En 1987, van Grecken a offert encore sept de sculptures sur bois de « Nouvelle-Guinée » à vendre à l’enchere à Sydney. Ils sont semblables a ceux qui était achetées par Guiart et ils aussi ne sont pas authentiques. Cette rédaction illustre douze des sculptures que van Grecken a vendu à Guiart dans les années soixantes et des sept sculptures il a mis en vente en 1987 et expose les raisons pour croire qu’ils ne sont pas contrefaçons mais qu’ils sont un canular monté par l’artist Australien, qui reste anonyme, peut-étre pour voir si les experts au sujet d’art de Nouvelle-Guinée peuvent distinguer les sculptures sur bois véritables des pastiches

Safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of an inactivated influenza vaccine in healthy adults: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial over two influenza seasons

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Seasonal influenza imposes a substantial personal morbidity and societal cost burden. Vaccination is the major strategy for influenza prevention; however, because antigenically drifted influenza A and B viruses circulate annually, influenza vaccines must be updated to provide protection against the predicted prevalent strains for the next influenza season. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy, safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of a trivalent inactivated split virion influenza vaccine (TIV) in healthy adults over two influenza seasons in the US.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The primary endpoint of this double-blind, randomized study was the average efficacy of TIV versus placebo for the prevention of vaccine-matched, culture-confirmed influenza (VMCCI) across the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 influenza seasons. Secondary endpoints included the prevention of laboratory-confirmed (defined by culture and/or serology) influenza, as well as safety, reactogenicity, immunogenicity, and consistency between three consecutive vaccine lots. Participants were assessed actively during both influenza seasons, and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected for viral culture from individuals with influenza-like illness. Blood specimens were obtained for serology one month after vaccination and at the end of each influenza season's surveillance period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Although the point estimate for efficacy in the prevention of all laboratory-confirmed influenza was 63.2% (97.5% confidence interval [CI] lower bound of 48.2%), the point estimate for the primary endpoint, efficacy of TIV against VMCCI across both influenza seasons, was 46.3% with a 97.5% CI lower bound of 9.8%. This did not satisfy the pre-specified success criterion of a one-sided 97.5% CI lower bound of >35% for vaccine efficacy. The VMCCI attack rates were very low overall at 0.6% and 1.2% in the TIV and placebo groups, respectively. Apart from a mismatch for influenza B virus lineage in 2005-2006, there was a good match between TIV and the circulating strains. TIV was highly immunogenic, and immune responses were consistent between three different TIV lots. The most common reactogenicity events and spontaneous adverse events were associated with the injection site, and were mild in severity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Despite a good immune response, and an average efficacy over two influenza seasons against laboratory-confirmed influenza of 63.2%, the pre-specified target (lower one-sided 97.5% confidence bound for efficacy > 35%) for the primary efficacy endpoint, the prevention of VMCCI, was not met. However, the results should be interpreted with caution in view of the very low attack rates we observed at the study sites in the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, which corresponded to relatively mild influenza seasons in the US. Overall, the results showed that TIV has an acceptable safety profile and offered clinical benefit that exceeded risk.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>NCT00216242</p

The Massim area

21 page(s

Felix Speiser on Melanesian shields

An explanation of Felix Speiser's comprehensive framework for a typology of Melanesian shields from his article "Über Schutzwaffen in Melanesien (On Defensive Weapons in Melanesia)", little-known among those unable to read German.14 page(s

Introduction to Malinowski's 'Art Notes and Suggestions'

Malinowski on Primitive Art �Art Notes and Suggestions� of 1921 Bronislaw Malinowski Edited with an introduction by Michael W. Young and Harry Bera

South-east New Guinea

Shields of Melanesia is the first comprehensive book of its kind and illustrates more than 100 types of shields from all cultural areas of Melanesia that used such objects. Around 80 percent of the shields illustrated have never before been published. This chapter classifies, explores and illustrates the shields from South-east New Guinea.38 page(s

North Coast New Guinea

"Shields of Melanesia" is the first comprehensive book of its kind and illustrates more than 100 types of shields from all cultural areas of Melanesia that used such objects. Around 80 percent of the shields illustrated have never before been published. This chapter classifies, explores and illustrates the shields from the North Coast of New Guinea.44 page(s

Island Melanesia

Shields of Melanesia is the first comprehensive book of its kind and illustrates more than 100 types of shields from all cultural areas of Melanesia that used such objects. Around 80 percent of the shields illustrated have never before been published. This chapter classifies, explores and illustrates the shields from the islands of Melanesia.41 page(s

Engraved prehistoric Conus shell valuables from southeastern Papua New Guinea: their antiquity, motifs and distribution

In the early 1900s thirteen engraved Conus shell valuables were dug from prehistoric midden mounds in Oro Province. Since the early 1970s nineteen undated surface finds have been found in the northern Massim of Milne Bay Province. When three artifacts became available for AMS radiocarbon dating, provided they were restored after sampling to their original visual appearance, a specialist team was assembled and this paper reports its findings regarding the thirty-two shells. The paper covers sampling and conservation, dating (including new information on the local oceanic reservoir effect), distribution, art, depositional and cultural histories. These distinctive Conus shell valuables are part of the material culture found along the northern coast of the eastern tip of New Guinea and on the islands of the northern Massim during the Expansion Phase c.1000-500 BP. Their decoration is comparable to that produced by Milne Bay Province woodcarvers in historic times. This continuity makes them the oldest radiocarbon dated artifacts decorated in the Massim art style

Engraved prehistoric Conus shell valuables from southeastern Papua New Guinea: their antiquity, motifs and distribution

In the early 1900s thirteen engraved Conus shell valuables were dug from prehistoric midden mounds in Oro Province. Since the early 1970s nineteen undated surface finds have been found in the northern Massim of Milne Bay Province. When three artifacts became available for AMS radiocarbon dating, provided they were restored after sampling to their original visual appearance, a specialist team was assembled and this paper reports its findings regarding the thirty-two shells. The paper covers sampling and conservation, dating (including new information on the local oceanic reservoir effect), distribution, art, depositional and cultural histories. These distinctive Conus shell valuables are part of the material culture found along the northern coast of the eastern tip of New Guinea and on the islands of the northern Massim during the Expansion Phase c.1000-500 BP. Their decoration is comparable to that produced by Milne Bay Province woodcarvers in historic times. This continuity makes them the oldest radiocarbon dated artifacts decorated in the Massim art style