Beninese Sculptures

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...

Bronze Ife Woman Head Oba Edo Benin City Yoruba. The Bronze Head from Ife, or Ife Head, is one of eighteen copper alloy sculptures that were unearthed in 1938...

Hand carved ebony hardwood bust of a young Benin warrior Traditionally carved Benin artistry Circa 1970 Height 10.75 inch, Width 5.5 inch, Depth 2.75 inc...

Very heavy Solid carved Malchite head sculpture Paperweight.

A unique intricately detailed hand-hammered bronze of a fish. Bursting with character, this marine life mythical decorative object would enhance any shelf or tabletop. This object form is one of the best-known examples of Benin art, created from the thirteenth century onwards, by the Edo people, which also included other sculptures in brass, including some famous portrait heads and smaller pieces of art. Tribal African Art...

Truly a majestic Benin Oba. Beautifully and finely hand carved in Ebony hardwood from the 1930's A piece of this quality and stature holds enormous presence...

Pair of Bronze Jaguar Cubs 6ʺW × 32ʺD × 20ʺH

Large cast Benin bronze rooster. Finely cast detailed plumage and definition. Good overall condition with overall verdi gris patina. Structurally sound and sturdy. Some minor holes t...

This striking vintage bronze rooster sculpture is a fine example of African tribal artistry, originating from the cultural regions of Ife and Benin in Nigeria. Crafted with a primiti...

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

Fascinating detailed Olokun head from the Kingdom of Ife in Western Nigeria. Hand carved hardwood face with almond shaped eyes, neck creases and astounding facial incisions Circa 1...

Wonderful hand carved ebony hardwood figure of a young Benin man, possibly a future King Oba Excellent traditional Benin artistic carving A delightful piece Circa 1970 Height 13...

A striking early to mid-20th century cast bronze figure depicting a standing warrior, executed in the traditional lost-wax casting technique associated with the historic Kingdom of B...

Pair of African Sculptures — Heavy Hardwood, Primitivist Style Description: This is a pair of African sculptures carved from exceptionally heavy, high-quality hardwood, displaying r...

Made by the Yoruba Tribe from Benin they date back to the 19th century. Created for the royal family.

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...

Made by the Yoruba Tribe from Benin it dates back to the 19th century. Created for the royal family.

Princess Yenenga, founder of the Mossi Empire, from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, bronze West African sculpture from the late 20th century This is a contemporary piece, not historical ...

This memorial statue is an example of traditional African metalwork from the Benin Kingdom, present-day Nigeria, known for its historic bronze and brass sculptures made using the los...

African Vide Poche and sculpture, withanAnimals holding a bowl in wood, 1960 Sculpture in wood.

An african solid wood puzzle in the shape of a cow, featuring a shiny polished finish. Each piece is detachable for fun and educational play. Perfect for children or as a unique deco...

Intricately hand-crafted African antelope, Benin tribal sculpture. Details in hand-hammered bronze on wood small pieces attached with small nails and numerous carvings. This object form is one of the best-known examples of Benin art, created from the thirteenth century onwards, by the Edo people, which also included other sculptures in brass, including some famous portrait heads and smaller pieces of art. Cast bronze. Tribal African Art...

Unique bronze sculpture of a female warrior on a horse Africa circa 1960 On a later marble base Very Nice details

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...

African Vide Poche and sculpture, withan woman head, in wood, 1960 ashtray, sculpture in wood.

Bronze relief plaque from the Kingdom of Benin, Nigeria, cast using the traditional lost-wax technique typical of Edo royal workshops. Depicting two warriors in ceremonial armour, standing side by side and wearing conical headdresses — the symbol of palace rank and military authority. The background shows interlaced floral motifs representing cosmic order and royal hierarchy. The brown-green oxidation and natural surface encrustation indicate a long period of ageing consistent with a pre-1920 casting. Visible casting seams, manual tool marks, and the non-industrial porosity on the reverse confirm traditional Edo craftsmanship rather than later reproductions. The rectangular perforations along the edges were used to attach the plaque to wooden pillars inside the Royal Palace of Benin City, where such reliefs celebrated the Oba’s lineage and military victories. Comparable plaques are held in: The British Museum, London (Af1898,0105.1–3) Weltmuseum, Vienna (inv. 35.456) Ethnologisches Museum, Berlin (Benin bronze plaques...

Very good cast of a Benin bonze head, probably mid 20th century From the Benin Tribe of Africa comes this beautiful bronze head

A fantastic bronze sculpture of a water buffalo, hosting her friendly ox-pecker birds. Benin style art and she is fabulous! Please take a look at all our pictures to see the detai...