Mere Pounamu with Rimu Stand | by Alex Sands

This beautiful Mere has been hand carved from New Zealand pounamu (greenstone/jade) by carver Alex Sands. The mere rests vertically on a stand which is made from New Zealand Rimu wood.

The mere pounamu was a traditional Māori weapon designed for close hand-to-hand combat and was used with thrusting, jabbing and swinging blows. The mere pounamu was a symbol of chieftainship and is considered to be one of the most valuable of the Māori short hand weapons.

Pounamu is the Māori name for greenstone or nephrite jade which is only found in the South Island. It is an extremely tough material and is said to absorb the owner’s essential spirit, feeding it back to them and enhancing their strength.

Alex Sands- Ngāti Kahungunu o Te Wairoa, English, Scottish and Irish
Raised in New Zealand and for a time in China. It was while in China his love for creating began in soft stone carving. He carved small intricate things with basic tools, files and small chisels. At the age of 12 he was inspired by the jade creations of the world and the pounamu creations of his Māori ancestors.
He was then given the opportunity to learn from one of the master jade carvers at the age of 13, and has since then gained his diploma in Māori wood carving. Alex enjoys using one material to complement another, whether merging stone with bone or simply the colour of the cord used with a pendant. Natural New Zealand materials allow a diverse range of colour, character and use – jewellery, weapons, tools or musical instruments, all changing their intensity with age.

Size: Mere, 35 x 8 x 2.2 cm; stand, 38 x 19 x 18 cm
Weight: 1.665 kg

Made in New Zealand