African Benin Bronzes of Queen Edo the Iyoba 'Nigeria', Monumental, circa 1950

Mid-20th century Benin (Nigeria) bronze figural offering depicting leopards and tribesmen Offered for sale is a modern-day Benin (Nigeria) bronze figural offering depicting leopar...

African Bronze Tribal Style Bust from Cameroon, 20th Century, Great Patina Offered for sale is large life-size cast bronze African bust from Cameroon. The bust has great details a...

African Mali cast bronze figural helmet on stand, 20th century Offered for sale is a mid-20th century African lost wax cast bronze figural helmet o...

Nigerian Yoruba Gelede Headdress Mask, Marionettes Which have been Danced. Offered for sale is a Nigerian Yoruba Gelede headdress mask topped with movable marionettes which have b...

After the original Benin bronzes, this statue depicts a large standing leopard with an upturned tail and unusually long legs, from the mid-20th century made in the same casting metho...

Outstanding Benin Oba and his Queen, Lost Wax 'Bronze' Sculptures from the late 20th century Superbly cast and highly decorative contemporary pieces, not historical The centuries ol...

Carved from reddish brown hardwood, the hollow form rises from a cylindrical neck, the lowest part being a rounded base, then surrounded by diagonal sections. The neck is surrounded by nine rows of coral beaded necklaces (odigba) that extend to a thread motif on the back of the head. Face in full relief with straight lips, flared, flattened nose and oval eyes with set shell (nut) for the pupils. Along the forehead are six frontal scars treated with rectangular cavities in which should have inserts nutshells. In this case there is only one left Small ears on each side of the head, each C-shaped. A headband consisting of three rows of almost completely distroyed. On the right side of the head, a single feather extends upward from a beaded rosette. Behind the ear, two long braids of hair hang down to the beaded collar and then become bows that reach the roots. The left side of the head has a long, single braid behind the ear that hangs down to the beaded collar and becomes a bow that ends at the base. On each side, three strands of hair appear at the temples under the headband. Featuring an open hole with a circular motif on the top of the head and a rectangular open slit down the back. Insect damage in different areas; very old worn finish showing a lot of age. Very heavy insect damage in all areas; very old worn finish showing a lot of age. “Wooden shrine heads were permitted to sit on the altars of chiefs and important figures, in contrast to the copper alloy heads used exclusively by the kings of Benin. (Frederic Backlar, Bonhams, New York, 2012, lot 172) Osemwede (reigned 1816-1848) was the first Oba to decree that human heads could be carved for the altars of chiefs of royal lineage, rather than just wooden antelope and perhaps goat heads. Therefore, chiefs of blood enjoyed in Benin City (but not throughout the Kingdom of Benin, where antelope heads continued to be placed on the altars of their ancestors well into the 20s. Thus, the (wooden) human heads are said to be later than ca. 1816, but the actual age depends condition, insect damage, etc." (Fagg, William, Christie's, London, 1988, lot 206) "Feathers were worn by chiefs as a sign of status. The heads have a hole at the top intended to hold a large carved ivory tusk...

MAGNIFICENT! BENIN OBA 19TH CENTURY BRONZE WARRIOR SCULPTURE! SUPERB EXAMPLE OF OBA METALWORK! DIMENSIONS: APPROXIMATELY 13" TALL CIRCA 1860-1900 Offered is a rare 19th cen...