| Brief Description |
This chair, carved by Maori from Putiki-wharanui, was presented to Reverend Richard Taylor as a personal gift in about 1844. The carved headrest consists of a central face figure with paua shell eye inserts and protruding tongue, and two carved full body figures with paua shell eye inserts, one on each end facing outwards. The space between the central and end figures on the head rest is elaborately carved, as are the two back cross supports and arm rests.
Richard Taylor was a missionary who served in Whanganui for the Church Missionary Society from 1843 to 1873. He was dedicated to his mission and was also a prolific writer, collector, arbitrator between Maori and European, naturalist and advisor to governors. He maintained his influence in the Manawatu, Whanganui and Taranaki regions by, as he put it, "constantly marching round the limits of my district", which was extensive. He had considerable influence among Maori, competing for converts with local Catholic priests. Although he supported colonisation, he disapproved of some settler behaviour and government policy on land acquisition.
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