Sierra Leonean Decorative Objects

The famous Artemis is the sister of Apollo and Dionysus; It is integrated with abundance in Anatolia. Considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the temple of Artemis in Ephesus was destroyed many times; but each time it was built again. Artemis, who, like Cybele, is the embodiment of nourishment rather than fertility, can be found in every region in every age. Sculptures, busts, columns and reliefs, the originals of which are in various museums, are made with the technique of casting under vacuum with marble powder...

This is a fantastic piece likely made by the Mangetu tribe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is finely detailed and quite large and hefty. These pieces were originally made...

Hermes is the messenger god in Greek mythology. He is the quickest and most clever of the gods. The original is displayed in the Istanbul Archeological Museum. Hermes, a descendant ...

Best fine quality sculpture with a monogram 'CV' or 'VC'. Unfortunately we don't know who the maker of this sizeable and very impressive work of art is. However, when somebody is ca...

Striking and detailed bronze relief sculpture from Benin, now known as Nigeria, in Africa. This piece was modeled after ancient Benin bronzes, but is from the 20th Century. The intri...

Carved grotesque wood mask with pierced eyes, very hooked nose, cigar between very crooked bone teeth. Label on verso reads, “Willi Huggler (Swiss, 1925...

African Benin Bronze Sculpture, Africa, circa mid 20th Century. Beautiful casting with wonderful attention to detail. Solid, heavyweight...

Unique tribal plank art with metal base. The piece features a 5.5' tall wooden plank with a colored ornate fish design. Great conversation piece for any space.

Early Yoruba offering bowl in the from of a male figure with a beard riding on horse back surrounded by four small attendants, finely carved with nice patina from native use. Probabl...

This graphic Songye Kifwebe mask has fine carved lines curved over the eyes and diagonal lines radiating from the nose and mouth in classic Kifwebe form. ...

Hermes is the messenger god in Greek mythology. He is the quickest and most clever of the gods. The original is displayed in the Istanbul Archeological Museum. Hermes, a descendan...

Very important “Nwantamtay” dance African mask, consisting of three sections: The upper in plain rectangular shape surmounted by a crescent shape moon, the middle with beautiful geometric triangles in black bitumen and white kaolin, surrounding a red cruciform in the centre of remarkable contrasting colors, and the lower part or face inscribed in a circular space that inspired numbered great artists like Joan Miro, Picasso and Henry Moore of a very strongly solar symbolism, with a projecting protuberance emanating from the forehead like a sculpted bird beak, that descents toward the mouth. Concentric eyes harmonize with the circular mouth, both with of elegant proportions. The whole mask exudes a supreme harmony and perfect balance rarely seen in this pieces. The back-side presents nice ware that attested the ancient origin and traces of animistic ceremonies as the use of animal blood residues. The painting of brown bitumen or cola, the natural colorants in red and ocher tones and the white kaolin are original and do not show any repainted or restored areas, giving a freshness rarely seen in old pieces. This exceptional mask Bwa, of the Hound`e Region in Burkina-Fasso, was used it the transit ceremonies and funerals manifesting the presence of “Do”, name given to their God sons, protectors and powerful spirits. The round face also represents an owl, the curving beak of the bird plants a seed into the sun, like a female sexual vulva being fecundated by the male organ; the eternal symbol of Ying and Yang, masculine and feminine, and the quest of life and death. This mask of Primitive facture can be compared to the one in the celebrated Verite Collection (this one being larger) sold in Paris at the Hotel Drouot, Saturday June 17, Lot 59, for 80,000 Euros and remarkably stands out from the Pierre and Tannia Matisse sold in Sotheby’s, New York in May 13, 2011. Another similar piece was published in: “Arman et l’art africain...