A Nicobar scare devil

A Nicobar scare devil

Bay of Bengal

modelled as a male dog like creature with a serrated ridge along the back and tail, with painted decoration and an applied brass plaque stamped HORNI. A NICOBAR DOG. CAPTAIN. J.B. EUSTACE. R.N.,

47cm high, 120.5cm long.

Provenance

Collected by Captain John Bridges Eustace, Royal Navy.

Sotheby's, London, 26th February 1979, lot 57.

David and Paula Newman Collection, London.

Captain John Bridges Eustace was the Commander of HMS Fox, a second class protected cruiser, based at the East Indies Station in 1904 and it is likely that this was when the above lot and two other known pieces were collected from Nicobar. All three have an applied brass plaque. Eustace was promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1913 and Admiral in 1922.

Scare devils were used by the Nicobarese people to act as a guardian to their homes. Carved as figures, stylised animals and birds to protect against illness, back luck and evil spirits. When misfortune did fall on a household, the figures would be discarded and latterly collected by visiting sailors.