20th Century Specialists

Yoruba people have one of the highest incidents of twin births in the world. As a result, twin children are regarded as extraordinary, divine beings protected by Sango, the deity of ...

Bronze Dan (also called Yakuba) bell, Cote d'Ivoire, circa 1960s. This Dan bell is made from the lost-wax process. It has a looped handle and stylized designs on the bell and around ...

Early 20th-century brass currency bracelet / Manilla in horseshoe form with fixed opening. Hand-stamped and shaped graphical motives and the ti...

Gelede festivals honour the creative and dangerous power of women elders, female ancestors and goddesses known as "our mothers". The Gelede headdress often consists of two parts, a lower mask and an upper elaborate superstructure. The lower mask depicts a woman's face, it's composure expressing the qualities of calmness and patience. The numbers are the inventory numbers from Penn State University and Lehigh University. Exhibited: The Pennsylvania State University - Museum of Art permanent collection; The Lehigh University - Art Galleries permanent collection. Provenance: The collection of Dr and Mrs John E. Swanson. Dr John Swanson and his wife Marian lived from 1966 - 1981 in Lagos, Nigeria where Dr Swanson was the Advisor to the National Universities Commission and later on the Chief Planning Officer of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. During their time in Africa the Swansons started to collect African art. In 1973 a part of their collection, circa 120 pieces went on loan to The Pennsylvania State University Museum of Art, where the remained until 1978. In 1981 Dr Swanson passed away and his wife Marian never returned to Africa. In 1982 Mrs Swanson lent 130 pieces to the Lehigh University Art Gallery where they remained until 1987. A few pieces were also lent to Lafayette College...

Yoruba people have one of the highest incidents of twin births in the world. As a result, twin children are regarded as extraordinary, divine beings protected by Sango, the deity of ...

Akan Ashanti cast bronze figurine. The Ashanti or Asante People from Ghana have a rich tradition of crafting bronze pieces to commemorate important figures from their culture or peop...

Statues of Juju Man or shamans were used for ceremonies connected with religious beliefs and magical practices. The general understanding of their meaning as including a supernatural...

Hand-carved Opon Igede Ifa or divination bowl, Yoruba People, Nigeria, early 20th Century. A Babalawo ("diviner") of the West African Yoruba people uses an Opon Igede Ifa to store th...

Red Turkmen Tekke Flat-Woven Main Carpet Rug, Late 19th Century The Turkmen are mainly known for their pile-weaving tradition. This said, several Turkmen groups have produced often...

Antique Northwest Persian Bagface Bag, c. 1900 Kurdish weaving is often enigmatic. While Kurdish weavers were certainly influenced by the larger weaving traditions, be it Persian or...

This Mid-Century Moorish teapot on kettle is made or red copper and brass and stands is a true thing of beauty by standing on a beautifully carved Kettle / pedestal. Handcrafted by ...

This is a very good example of a 19th century Zanzibar storage chest. The chest was created in the mid-19th century. The teak case is adorned with cut and open work brass strapping i...

This an impressive large early 20th century silver collar or neck band in the traditional Miao/Hmong Tribal tradition. The collar is composed of three individual but complementary bands, each designed in an abstract geometric pattern. The collars are mounted on a custom Steel stand. All three collars are in excellent overall condition; no faults have been noted. The Miao are an ethnic minority and are located principally at the intersection of northern Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and China. Silver is highly prized by the Miao who gift silver to their daughters beginning at birth. **We have had the collar appraised by Honeychurch Antiques...

This striking early twentieth-century mask, from the Kete culture in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, previously belonged to the private collection of Penn Kent, the former Dire...

This beautiful mid-twentieth century figurative sculpture depicts a mother, crowned with a sweeping double-parted coiffure, holding her child at her side. Multiple strands of glass b...

This is a very rare example of an Asafo Banner from the Fante people of the Cape Coast of Ghana . The Asafo have been a highly militarised society long before the Europeans set foot ...

Bwa mask from Burkina Fasso Burkina Faso, Black Volta River region Culture: Bwa peoples Provenance: Private Swedish collection Bwa plank masks are conceive...

This finely carved early twentieth-century figure, from the Yoruba culture in Nigeria, depicts a mother and her two children. The mother is depicted in a kneeling position, holding a...

This fine fetish figure, from the Luba/Kusu culture in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, dates back to the early twentieth-century or before, to the nineteenth-century. The carve...

Finely carved from a single piece of wood, this stool from the Sidamo region of Ethiopia displays a wonderful sculptural quality. Four cone-shaped legs support the stool's slightly-c...

The distinctive sculptural form of this large Tutsi fibre basket from Rwanda - woven with the same double-layer 'igihisi' structure used to create Tutsi wall screens - is an expressi...

The sculpture, expertly carved from fragrant Nepalese sandalwood, stands as a testament to the rich tradition of wood carving in Nepal. The medium itself adds a sensory dimension to ...

The Himba of Northern Namibia are immediately recognisable by their distinctive hairstyles, which are determined by their age, gender and marital status. Both Himba men and women wea...

These big wooden beams from bedouin tents from the Sahara were Mid-20 century made. The rich carving gives information about the respective tribal affilia...

Carved from a hard, dense wood, this large traditional food bowl from the Lozi culture in Zambia displays a beautiful round form. A band of diamond-shaped designs, each decorated wi...

Black Gucci sneakers were previously used in size 7, black color of the product in the photo

This very early African Kuba cloth is made out of natural fibers to wear at ceremonial festivities. Made entirely by hand with striking colours. Beautiful to hang on your wall in a ...

This stool is a beautiful example of an Arsi saddle-shaped stool from the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Finely carved into this form from dense, heavy brown wood, this stool has developed a lovely rich surface patina as a result of use over time. ‍Estimated Period: Late 19th/Early 20th Century Ex Private Collection, Addis Ababa...

This beautifully carved title stool, from the Gogo culture in Tanzania, features a wonderful looped and adjoining structure. Dating back to the mid-twentieth century, this fine examp...

The flat seat of this early twentieth-century Kamba stool from Kenya has been beautifully decorated with embedded red, green, blue and white glass beads. Carved from a single piece o...

Toussiana Plank Bird from Burkina Faso Mid XXem Provenance: private Swedish collection , auction The TOUSSIAN live in the Southwest of Burkina Faso. The mask presented here is a Loni...

This is a wooden ladder made by the Dogon tribe of West Africa. With a unique history and culture, they live at the foot of cliffs, with about 700 villages and a population of about ...

Supporting the flat, circular seat of this early twentieth-century stool from the Shona culture in Zimbabwe is a figurative sculpture of a sturdy-bodied female. The figure is depicte...

Together, these two finely carved flutes display a wonderful interplay of the abstracted forms of a 'male' and 'female' figure. A strip of snake skin has been wrapped around the 'bo...

In Kuba society, title holding is dominated by men; there are only two titles held by women. Headdresses were and are the most visible expression of o...

Traditionally worn as a symbol of rank and title, this beautiful Kuba chieftain's cap (laket mishiing) is embellished with cowrie shells and rows of blue, white and black glass beads...

This fine painting by an unknown Aboriginal artist, titled 'Marine Life with River Tortoise' consists of natural pigments on mounted bark. The painting was originally purchased in th...

This beautifully carved 'Biteki' figure, from the Yaka culture in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, depicts a female crowned with a large, abstracted coiffure. The figure exhibit...

This style of Tigre (Mexican colloquial for Jaguar) mask is from Zitlala, Guerrero, they are used on the feast day of the Holy Cross on May 3rd, 4th, and 5th. As part of the activit...

Rare to find raincoat made of braided palm leaves. Of pre-Hispanic origin, it is a woven garment that protects against the rain. Also known as Capisayo in or Capote in other parts of...

A wonderful, very large elongated Tribal fang mask from Gabon. Hand carved and hand painted using tempura paint. Used in ceremonies, the mask has very ni...

Amazing and scarce JUDAICA object, we have here one of the most touching jewish objects we had for a long time, this small silver dowry box was made in Algeria in the early 19th century, it is all covered with symbols of jewish faith and of couples, the sliding lid has 2 flanking birds with hamsa (protective hand) on each side and a flower vase in the middle. one side shows two flanking lions with a tree in the middle and the other side shows again two big and two small birds with a flower bowl in the middle, front side has a key hole and next to it there is the Hebrew inscription ס״ט״" which says Siman tov or in English "a good sign" it is taken from the wedding blessing, underneath the lock there is another inscription with the name ״עזיזה בת אברהם בן חמו״ which is the name of the bride, her father and her grandfathers name. the box is full marked a lot of times with the silversmith mark, every side of the box is marked. this box was probably ordered by the grooms family to hold the jewelry they are giving to the bride as dowry, this type of objects are rare and there are just a few of them on museum collections. DOWRY (Heb. נְדֻנְיָה), the property a wife brings to her husband at marriage; the Yiddish equivalent, nadn, is from the same root. The custom of nedunyah became clearly defined and institutionalized only in the talmudic period. In biblical times, mohar (מֹהַר), whereby the groom bought his wife from her father (Gen. 24:53; Ex. 22:15–16; Hos. 3:2), was the accepted practice. It was then customary that the groom give the bride gifts, and that she bring certain property to her husband's home upon marriage: slaves, cattle, real estate, etc. (cf. Gen. 24:59–61; 29; Judg. 1:14ff.; I Kings 9:16). Evidence of the custom of nedunyah is to be found in Tobit (7:14; 8:21) and in the Assuan papyri (Cowley, Aramaic, nos. 15, 18). Gradually, mohar was superseded by the ketubbah custom according to which the husband merely assumed the responsibility of compensation to his wife in case he divorced her: he had to pay her 200 zuzim if she had been a virgin at the time of marriage, and 100 zuzim if a widow or divorcée (see *Ketubbah). By talmudic times, the institution of nedunyah was prevalent; the father gave a dowry to the bride since the daughter was excluded from paternal inheritance. Fifty zuzim (equivalent to the worth of 180 grams of silver) was the minimum amount a father was obliged to give to his daughter (Ket. 6:5). Parents usually gave much more, according to their social standing. Community funds provided the dowry for an orphan or a very poor girl (ibid.; cf. Sh. Ar., YD 251:8). In case of her father's death, the brothers of a minor girl were obliged to give her the minimum dowry, and the court estimated how much her father would have given her above the minimum dowry. The sum was then taken out of the father's estate and given to the daughter upon majority (Ket. 6:6; 68a–69b). In the absence of such an estimate, each daughter was entitled to receive one-tenth of the value of her father's estate in money, or in valuables (Yad, Ishut, 20:4–7; Sh. Ar., EH 113:4). If the father was unable or unwilling to pay the promised dowry at the betrothal ceremony, the groom could refuse to marry his bride (Ket. 13:5; Ket. 108b–109a). Insistence on exact payment of the promised dowry, however, was frowned upon by later rabbinic authorities (Rema to Sh. Ar., EH 2:1). In certain communities it was customary for the groom's father to make a dowry contribution equal to that of the bride's father (Ket. 102b). The dowry, whether given in real estate, slaves, money, or chattel was recorded in the marriage contract (the ketubbah) and in some instances one-third or one-fifth of the actual value of the dowry was added to the sum mentioned in the ketubbah. Based upon a decree enacted by *Simeon b. Shetah (first century C.E.), the Talmud ruled that the husband and his entire property were liable for compensation as stipulated in the ketubbah, either in case he died (when she collected the sum specified in the ketubbah from the heirs) or in case he divorced his wife (Ket. 82b). For the status of the dowry and the husband's rights and obligations, see below. The rabbinic enactments (Takkanot Shum) by R. Jacob *Tam and by the rabbinic synod of the communities of Speyer, Worms, and Mainz (Germany) stipulated that if a woman died...

A scarce antique African tribal carved Hemba helmet mask, the Suku peoples, possibly Kwese culture, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa, early 20th century, surmounted by four-legged animal, over round face, with mouth ajar and incised jagged teeth exposed, protruding almond shaped eyes, scattered remnants of pigment, full raffia fiber fringe, mounted on wood stand. A superb museum quality example, this remarkable tribal folk art sculpture is a wonderful way to add rustic warmth, rich historical depth, and fascinating cultural interest to any space! Dimensions: (approx) Overall: 26" High, 9" Wide, 10.25" Deep; Mask only: 15" Tall; 7 lbs total Provenance / Acquisition: Acquired from the highly reputable auction house, Austin Auction Gallery, est.1983, Austin, Texas. Excellent Condition: Nicely aged distressed patina over the whole. Highly desirable wear consistent with age and indicative of use, including scattered losses, antique character marks and typical signs of aging throughout. Retaining scattered remnants of original pigment. Overall a superb museum quality example Primitive Arts Of Africa: Among the Suku of the southwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, masks plays crucial role in protecting boys during initiation, the vulnerable period between boyhood and manhood. The power contained in Hemba masks...

The form of this early twentieth-century Pokot stool from Kenya exhibits a beautiful sculptural quality, in which three curved, flared and flattened legs support the flat circular se...

This impressive early twentieth-century stool, from the Ashanti culture in Ghana, depicts an elephant - an Ashanti symbol of power and strength. Finely carved from a heavy brown wood...

This set of three early twentieth-century panels, from the Nupe culture in Nigeria, display a blend of beautiful decorative designs, carved in low relief against a plain background. ...

This early twentieth-century small chair displays a beautiful form. Typically low to the ground, such chairs are found among the Dan and Baule cultures in the Ivory Coast. Carved fro...

This captivating set of three 19th century West African bronze currency manillas, elegantly displayed on a custom mount, serves as a fascinatin...

This early twentieth-century prestige stool comes from the Kamba culture in Kenya. Consisting of a low-set, richly decorated circular seat supported by three finely carved legs, sto...

A large 19th century Central American wooden mortar with a beautifully hand-hewn texture and a well worn finish. Mortars like these were used to crush grains, spices, herbs, and othe...

The famous painter, Marcel Gotène (Icon of the contemporary Bantu art) combines surrealistic impressions with modern tapisserie elements. Born in 1935 in Yaba, Republic of Kongo,...

The famous painter, Marcel Gotène (Icon of the contemporary Bantu art) combines surrealistic impressions with modern tapisserie elements. Born in 1935 in Yaba, Republic of Kongo - d...

Very expressive and modern looking mask (sculptur). The powdery colors and the reduced shape underline the beauty of the object. Fang mask of Ngil In the ...

Kusu command rod This prestigious staff among chieftain regalia is composed of different carved sections that form an iconographic language related to the history of the ancestor or...

Two carved bone tool Handles from the Pre-Inuit Thule Culture in all original condition. Probable wood working tools, the handles once held Stone or, more rarely, Iron blades. The la...

African shield Oromo from Ethiopia, early 20th century. Base 34 x 20cm.

This is a rare item owned by a Japanese collector. This is believed to have been made around the 9th or 10th century in Peru. In the Andean civilizatio...

The Beaded Royal Headdress is made of a palm tree fibre structure, enfolded with burlap cloth embroided with European glass beads that cover the entire object with geometric symbolic...