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Place of Origin: Sub-Saharan African
Tourmaline, Nigeria
Located in New York, NY
Tourmaline, Ofiki, Oyo State, Nigeria
6.3 cm tall x 1.9 cm diameter
Ofiki is well known for producing deep colored tourmalines. Most of the tourmalines they find are dull, rounded, ...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Other
$38,750
"Ritual In Wood" Mid-Century African Wood Bust
Located in Pasadena, CA
This wooden sculpture embodies hyper-verticality, a hallmark of many African sculptural traditions. Its elongated form eschews anatomical realism, instead striving to evoke a presenc...
Category
1950s Primitive Vintage Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Walnut
Ethiopian Wood Head Rest With Silver White Metal Beads and Dangles, Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
An old well used Ethiopian head rest with attached oxidized silver or white metal beads and dangles.
It is in good condition with wear, polish and eros...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Ceramic large Pangolin sculpture, hand made in South Africa
By Love Art Ceramic
Located in North Miami, FL
This extraordinary Pangolin Sculpture is a rare, one-of-a-kind ceramic piece, masterfully sculpted by Motsaman and intricately hand-painted by Jabu Nene of Love Art Ceramics in South...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic
Ethnic Design-Three Decorative Beaded Flywhisks , Cameroon Grasslands
Located in Leuven , BE
The Royal Fly Whisks (ethnic names: see leng koko or beuka) used in dances are made of carved wood to which horse tails are attached. These tails are veritable war trophies cut from ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Burlap, Wood, Beads
Dioptase // 7.08 Lb
Located in New York, NY
Explore a breathtaking Dioptase specimen from the Congo, a true gem for collectors and enthusiasts. This vibrant green crystal, measuring 8 inches (L) x 5 inches (H) x 5.5 inches (D)...
Category
2010s Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Rock Crystal
$3,500
Early 20th Century African Statuette
Located in Dallas, TX
This Statuette origins from Benin in Africa, circa 1900.
Beautiful small details.
Category
Early 20th Century Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Malachite and Chrysocolla From Democratic Republic of the Congo
Located in New York, NY
Malachite and Chrysocolla from Kolwezi, Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire).
Large polished free form botryoidal specim...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Other
$9,600 Sale Price
20% Off
Tall Bronze Masai Sculptures 1960s Vintage Kenya Mother Baby Giacometti Style
Located in London, GB
Two 1960s bronze sculptures from the Maasai tribe in Kenya and Tanzania in everyday motherhood figures.
The elongated and brutalist-like effect figures evoke a Giacometti-like aest...
Category
1960s Brutalist Vintage Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
A beautiful large Rose quartz polished sphere from Madagascar on acrylic stand
Located in London, GB
A beautiful large Rose quartz polished sphere from Madagascar on acrylic stand.
This was originally purchased from Venusrox in Notting Hill, London and comes with original Venusrox ...
Category
2010s Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Rose Quartz
Dioptase, Omaue Mine, Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region, Namibia
Located in New York, NY
Dioptase, Omaue Mine, Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene region, Namibia
Measures: 8.5 cm tall x 7 cm wide
Dioptase, once believed to be emerald when first encountered, is amongst the most vividly colored species. Large gem...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Other
Pair of 20th Century Mbole Currency Pieces on Custom Mounts
Located in Chicago, IL
Immerse yourself in the rich cultural of the Mbole people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with this exquisite pair of 20th-century Mbole copper currency cuffs. Mounted on cus...
Category
20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Copper
Angola Chokwe Mask Revisited by Bomber Bax
Located in Milano, IT
Beautiful classic Chokwe mask genre that honours female founding ancestors. Such representations are particularly significant as the Chokwe trace the descent through the lines of their mothers. This is thought to be a dance mask with a net and wood hairstyle, from the Batshokwe people skilled in the art of carving and of very ancient origin belonging to the culture of the divine monarchy.
The Batshokwe sculptors were the most famous in the region, masters in geometric decorations such as the depiction of scarifications and tooth deformations, the surfaces of their works were carefully smoothed and polished.
On the forehead of the mask, the classic chinge-lyengelye scarification is clearly visible, commonly interpreted as a variant of the Portuguese cross...
Category
Early 1900s Tribal Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
$2,351 Sale Price
20% Off
Pair of Mid-20th Century Benin Bronze Large Leopard Statues
Located in London, GB
This pair of casted, stylized, mid 20th century bronze leopards are vintage copies of Benin (modern-day Nigeria) bronze figural sculptures of leopards.
These large and impressive p...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
$9,882 Sale Price / set
40% Off
Opal
Located in New York, NY
Opal
Tsehay Mewcha, Wegeltena, Delanta Woreda, South Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Measures: 14.4 cm tall x 11 cm wide
Precious opals are a hydrated amorphous form of silica (amorphous meaning a non-crystallized solid), unlike crystalline forms of silica, which are classed as minerals. Australia is the locality most associated with precious opal. The precious opals of Ethiopia were only discovered recently in 2008.
Opals are formed over thousands of years when rain frees spherical silica particles from sandstone. These microscopic particles spread deep into underground cavities and are then compressed into a closely-packed interlaced structure. When miners bring them forth from the earth to the surface, sunlight travels through this microstructure creating the dazzling kaleidoscope of flashing rainbow colors that we see here.
This opal may be unique. The colors are like no other we have seen from Ethiopia. There are several names given to opal (Black Opal, Boulder Opal, Fire opal, etc.). This piece begins an entirely new genre - Candy Opal.
Category
15th Century and Earlier Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Opal
$265,000
Matched Pair Split Ammonite Fossil Set Mineral Specimen #L2L
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Jurassic - Cretaceous Period, 200 - 145 million years old
Dimensions: 8 × 6.25 × 0.75 in. / 20 × 16 × 2 cm
Dimensions on custom display stands: 10.5 × 5.5 × 3.5 in. / 27 × 14 × 9 c...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Other Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Early small Kuba Cup With Refined Face, Fine Hair, Handle DRC, Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Small sweet early Kuba Cup with refinedf face, finely carved hair, with a handle, from the DRC, Africa
Finely incised hair in tight geometric form, small proj...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
$1,440 Sale Price / item
20% Off
Prehistoric Ammonite Fossil or Natural Specimen
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This Prehistoric fossilized ammonite is likely from Madagascar and thousands of years old. This fossil is free standing and could be used as a unique design element as a natural specimen...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Prehistoric Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Septarian Druzy Egg from Madagascar '14.5 Lbs'
Located in New York, NY
Large, AAA quality Septarian geode egg with an exposed area lined with scintillating druzy quartz crystal. The back side has been hand polished to a smooth high reflective surface.
Septarian has a very calming and nurturing energy. It brings feelings of joy and spiritual uplifting. Septarian enhances clear communication with groups, making it easier to speak clearly and kindly. Septarian is also used to assist with communication with Mother Earth. It helps enhance intuition and foresight into future events as well. It's a stone of deep strength and thus a great grounding stone.
Septarian is a geode that is a combination of yellow calcite...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Other
Polished Petrified Wood Sphere from Madagascar (5.5", 7.3 lbs)
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful hand polished petrified wood sphere from Madagascar. It has an amazing pattern with vibrant hues of brown, yellow, and orange.
Fossilized Petrified Wood, which is also known as Agatized...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Other
A beautiful large Star Rose quartz polished sphere from Madagascar
Located in London, GB
A beautiful large Star Rose quartz polished sphere from Madagascar on acrylic stand.
This was originally purchased from Venusrox in Notting Hill and comes with original Venusrox label which details the energy properties of Star Rose Quartz:
The Star Rose quartz is a Super-Charged Rose Quartz, and is the stone of love. Love for oneself, family, friends, the planet and the universe. It releases stress and anxiety and dissolves anger and fear and brings hope and love. It encourages compassion and kindness.
We have another smaller sphere and very large Amethyst...
Category
2010s Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Rose Quartz
Mid-Century Carved Female Bust in Ebony Hardwood W/ Herringbone Pattern
Located in New York, NY
This beautifully made Mid-Century Carved Female Bust in Ebony Hardwood W/ Herringbone Pattern originates from Kenya, Circa 1960. This sculpture is carved from a single piece of ebony...
Category
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Ebony
Ammonite fossil : Kranaosphinctes. On custom steel claw stand
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
This ammonite specimen (species : kranaosphinctes) from Madagascar, cretaceous (-85 to -65 millions years before our era) displays a nice quality and color.
Making it a nice fossil i...
Category
2010s Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Stone
$6,488 Sale Price
20% Off
Very Important “Nwantantay” African Dance Mask
Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon
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...
Category
Early 20th Century Primitive Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Whole Ammonite Fossil with Druzy Chambers Jurassic Cretaceous #Z9A
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Madagascar
Jurassic - Cretaceous Period, 200 - 145 million years old
Dimensions: 7.75 × 6.5 × 1.75 in./ 19.5 × 16.5 × 4.5 cm
Weight: 3 lbs 2 oz/ 1.366 kg
Height on custom display...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Other Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Precious Stone
Hematite From Wessels Mine, South Africa
Located in New York, NY
This striking large Hematite single crystal from the renowned Wessels Mine in Northern Cape, South Africa features sharply defined faces and a brilliantly reflective metallic luster ...
Category
2010s Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Crystal
Ardmore Ceramic Crocodile Rider
By Sabelo Khoza
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Grandiose, striking, remarkable. This Ardmore Ceramic sable vase is a sophisticated piece sculpted and painted by the great Ardmore duo Sabelo and Jabu...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Earthenware
Ancient Cubist Danced Kuba Mask Black Patina Cone Eyes Congo Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Ancient Cubist Kuba Dance Mask Black Patina, Cone Shaped Eyes, from the Congo, Africa.
It is in good condition with wear, polish and erosion from traditional use, appropriate for it...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Bambara Standing Male Figure Powerful Shoulders Mali Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Bambara Standing male figure with powerful shoulders, arms at sides and large feet. From Mali, Africa
It is in good condition with wear, polish and erosion from traditional use, appropriate for its age, use, and medium. Scuffs and nicks here and there. Age, wear and staining inside. On vintage wood block...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Azurite with Cerussite From Namibia
Located in New York, NY
This gorgeous specimen from Tsumeb, Namibia features large, fully formed, deep blue azurite crystals with amazing luster growing with gemmy reticulated cerussite crystals. The sparkl...
Category
2010s Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Other
Fine Kuba Cup with Incised Textile Designs, early 20th century Central Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Fine Kuba wood cup with incised designs similar to the famous Kuba textiles, early 20th century, from Central Africa.
The woven cris cross designs that are typical of the Kuba currency...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
$760 Sale Price
20% Off
Large Polished Labradorite Freeform
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A spectacular naturally formed large polished labradorite freeform sourced from Madagascar. Characterised by its iridescent colours...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Modern Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Large Natural Black Tourmaline Mineral Specimen
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A large natural black tourmaline mineral specimen originating from Zimbabwe.
While tourmaline may not shine as other bright as other minerals, it offers a distinctive look almost li...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Natural Fiber
Ceramic Elephant Monkey Rider, Hand made in South Africa
By Zimele Ceramics
Located in North Miami, FL
The Royal Elephant with Leopard Skin, crafted by Zimele Ceramics in South Africa, is a stunning ceramic sculpture that stands 8 high and measures 8 in both length and width. This exq...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic
1960 Vide Poche Sculpture in Wood, Animals Holding a Bowl
Located in Auribeau sur Siagne, FR
African Vide Poche and sculpture, withanAnimals holding a bowl in wood,
1960 Sculpture in wood.
Category
1960s Minimalist Vintage Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Tourmaline
Located in New York, NY
Tourmaline
Rubaya, Bahunde, Masisi Territory, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Measures: 5.1 cm tall x 2 cm wide.
Category
15th Century and Earlier Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Other
$37,500
Sculptural Early 20th Century Ethiopian Chair
Located in Chicago, IL
A wonderfully sculptural early 20th century Ethiopian side chair with a hide seat and back stitched with hide strips, and stretched over a primitive wood frame. Chair is functional, ...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Hide, Wood
Large Natural Calcite Specimen
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A large calcite specimen sourced from an ex British private collection.
Formed over millions of years, this natural calcite specimen originates from Lesotho, South Africa, showcasin...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Natural Fiber
Contemporary Ebony Makonde African Wood Carving
Located in Houston, TX
A beautiful contemporary collector piece of Makonde ebony tree of life art carving with unbelievable detailed wood carving.
Category
1950s Primitive Vintage Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Ebony
Liddicoatite Tourmaline, Madagascar
Located in New York, NY
Liddicoatite, Tourmaline
Anjanbonoina, Antananarivo Prov., Madagascar
16.5 cm tall x 11.4 cm diameter
Liddicoatite is an uncommon form of tourmaline. It was first discovered in Mada...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Other
Bamileke Old Anthropomorphic Trophy Head Embroidered with European Glass Beads
Located in Leuven , BE
Bamileke Old Anthropomorphic Trophy Head embroidered with European
Glass Beads, Grasslands People, and Cameroon.
Private collection Brussels
Worn by chiefs and other notables on cer...
Category
20th Century Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood, Beads
Watermelon Tourmaline Slice // 6.34 Grams
Located in New York, NY
This gorgeous, vividly pigmented watermelon tourmaline slice features beautiful separation of color with a deep, solid, almost olive green ring around...
Category
2010s Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Tourmaline
Bamileke Throne Stool with Leopard
Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon
Bamileke throne made with wood, coated with jute, embroidered with polychrome glass beads, cowrie snails, embroidery with glass beads that are missing in some areas. In the Grassfiel...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Early 20th Century African Antique Wood Comb with Human Head
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Early 20th Century African Antique Wood Comb with Human Head
From the Chokwe Culture of Angola. A fine, old, much used comb with a glossy, glasslike patina...
Category
Early 20th Century Other Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Lega Bwami Society Mask on Display Stand with Provenance
Located in Atlanta, GA
On offer is a Lega Bwami society wooden mask from the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was likely from the first half of the 20th century and an authentic in-field piece. The mask di...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Ashanti Maternal Fertility Figure
Located in Atlanta, GA
On offer is an Ashanti female fertility figure from Ghana, West Africa, circa Mid-20th century. Carved from a single block of wood, the statue depicts a female with typical coiffure ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Glass, Wood
$2,000 Sale Price
33% Off
Genuine Calcified Ammonite on Matrix Opalized (4 lbs)
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful, fossilized and calcified ammonite shell with an iridescent, opalized shimmer, displaying hints of vibrant red and yellow tones. This specimen displays multiple complete ammonites in a clustered form, each having a dendritic crystal pattern. This piece has been hand polished. *You will receive the exact object as in these photos. The fossilized shells...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Other
African Hand-Carved Wooden Ladder Sculpture 20th Century
Located in New York, NY
Hand-carved wooden ladder on a black square base originally used to to access multi story residences built in cliffs by the Dogon Tribe, Mali 20th century. This is a stunning accent ...
Category
20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Bronze Ife Woman Head Oba Edo Benin City Yoruba
Located in Bochum, NRW
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...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Hand-Carved Mossi Tribe Ceremonial Wood Mask on Elevated Sculptural Base
Located in New York, NY
This strikingly bold and well detailed Hand-Carved Mossi Tribe Ceremonial Wood Mask on Elevated Sculptural Base originates from Burkina Faso, Circa 1960. The Mossi people from which ...
Category
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Set of Six Early 20th Century Carved Wood Knobkerries, South Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Six Knobkerries from South Africa
A group of six knobkerries from South Africa, mounted together on a wooden base. These were originally used as weapons during battle but have evolv...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Large Figurative African Mangbetu Anthropomorphic Vessel / Jar
Located in Studio City, CA
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...
Category
20th Century Folk Art Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Full Size Nyala Taxidermy on Naturalistic Base
Located in New York, NY
This full-sized Nyala taxidermy is an impressive and striking piece that captures the beauty and majesty of this magnificent African antelope. Mounted on a naturalistic green grass b...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Fur, Wood
Genuine Hand Carved Malachite Fish // 272 Grams
Located in New York, NY
This gorgeous 272 gram malachite fish has been hand carved and hand-polished out of excellent quality malachite from the DRC. Malachite is a lusciously hued, bright and dark green ba...
Category
2010s Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Malachite
$266 Sale Price
40% Off
Yoruba Painted Veranda Post
Located in Chicago, IL
Hand carved with a figurative design, this TOTEM-like wooden post was crafted by an artisan of the Yoruba peoples of Nigeria. Resembling the tall houseposts used to support the roof of a home, this shorter post would have been placed on a veranda courtyard as a symbolic and decorative element and did not bear weight. This veranda post...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Pair of African Iron Bandaka Hoe Currency, Mounted on Custom Steel Bases
Located in Stamford, CT
2 African iron Bandaka hoe currency, Mabila and Chamba Peoples, Nigeria and Cameroon.
The iron, hammered into the form of a hoe, was used as currency. Mounted they are wonderful pie...
Category
20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Iron
Wooden Head, Edo People, Benin Nigeria with Stand
Located in Hamburg, DE
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...
Category
Mid-19th Century Antique Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Hardwood
$4,607 Sale Price
20% Off
Seated Female Figure on Stool Holding a Sword Ewe Ghana, West Africa ex Willis
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Seated female figure on classic Akan stool holding a sword. From the Ewe people of Ghana, West Africa. Created as three separate pieces that fit together for display, figure, stool ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Olokun Head, Kingdom of Ife, Western Nigeria Hand Carved Hardwood
Located in Rothley, Leicestershire
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...
Category
Late 20th Century Folk Art Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Hardwood
Gaudefroyite With Hematite
Located in New York, NY
From N'Chwaning I Mine, Kuruman, Cape Province, South Africa, this lustrous, stark black, sharply hexagonally crystallized specimen of gaudefroyite with hematite brings unexpected pr...
Category
2010s Sub-Saharan African Sculptures
Materials
Crystal
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