African Folk Art

Antique Bena Lulua Mask Late 1800s to Early 1900s – Democratic Republic of the Congo This striking primitive folk art mask hails from the Bena Lulua people of the Democratic Republi...

A South African two handled carved wood meat tray Zulu, 20th century Measures: Approximate 3 1/4" in. high x 10 1/2" in. long x 8 1/2" in. wide (8.2 x...

Late 19th-Early 20th century tribal terracotta bottle, Djenne Area, Mali A handsome terracotta bottle from the Djenne area of Mali with incised geometric patterns on the globular ...

With a beautiful dark patina, this early 20th century wooden mask shows a naturalistic human face, flattened, with the forehead, open mouth and stylised teeth in light relief; the ri...

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...

Powerful early cubist carved wood standing female figure from the Bobo-Fing of Burkina Faso, Africa. Created early 20th century. Ex private collection Texas, originally acquired from James Willis...

Set of three vintage Zulu long carved wood pipes on custom metal stands, South Africa. Each on separate stand so can be arranged in multiple ways for great ...

Early Ghost Like Kumu Mask With Kaolin Open Eyes Mouth Teeth, Congo, Africa It is in good condition with wear, polish and erosion from traditional use, appropriate for its age, use,...

Tall hand-carved wooden oracle or divination tapper "Iroke Ifa" statue, showing a kneeling woman holding her breasts. Yoruba, Nigeria, circa 1930s. Yoruba belief specifies that each ...

Prestige open top basket Sukuma People (?) Tanzania Circa 1900 Coiled and woven basketry, natural fibers and dye 8 x 6 1/2 inches (21 x 16.5 cm) Provenance: ex private collection U...

Mid-20th Century Dance Skirt Panel, Kuba, D.R.Congo A wonderful, almost op-art Kuba dance skirt panel with an appliqued design of four squared spirals. Th...

Fine early 20th Century hand spun indigo cotton and Trans-Sahara silk cloth.

Moroccan authentic vintage tribal rug handwoven by Berber Moroccan women using organic lamb wo and organic dye.Vintage Berber rug from the Taznakht tribe in south eastern Morocco. Ra...

Ashanti footstool, Ghana West-Africa Handcut and handcarved Fine condtion Period: probably post 1945

Handcrafted Moorish Moroccan Bleu de Fez decorative ceramic Bowl, dish. Ceramic bowl in Bleu de Fez, very nice designs hand painted by artist in Fez. Geometrical and floral Moorish ...

Early finely carved African Afikpo mask with stylized geometric abstract long face. From Nigeria close to the Cross River. From an old collection in the Southwest. Overall dimensi...

The painting captures the events of this battle: "Baratieri planned to execute an attack early morning 1st March Baratieri, to strike a surprise on the ethiopians, who outnumbered h...

Masks from the Pende people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are considered some of the most dramatic works of African art. The Pende have defined an extensive range of mask forms, many with distinct characters embodied during ritual ceremony. Colored by red and white pigments, this Pende mask...

Mid-20th century Tuareg tea pot from Mauritania, Africa, Western Sahara. Handcrafted of pewter, copper and brass decorations. The Tuareg people inhabit a large area, covering almost ...

Late 19th century Igbo-Ukwu bronze statue from Nigeria. Cire perdue technique.

African Salampasu Helmet Mask, carved wood, copper, and raffia, together with metal stand. Mask: 25" H x 10.75" W x 9" D. Provenance: From a Sutton Place Estate.

Old We (Guéré) / Dan mask with three fused faces, symbolizing clairvoyance and spiritual vigilance. Carved from dense fine-grained hardwood, it displays a dry, deep brown patina with...

Pair of Bronze & Iron Ogboni Society staffs from the Yoruba People, Nigeria, early 20th century. Among the Yoruba, in southwestern Nigeria, there was and still is the Ogboni secret s...

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...

A strongly carved mask, likely Baule Tribe, on custom iron display stand. With fine serene features, scarification on the forehead, delicately carved hair and surmounted by two forwa...

Carved hardwood mummy mask having a pink-brown painted ground, painted black eyes and brows. Wearing a black headband. Eyes and brows are restored. Scattere...

An incredible and rare mid-20th century Dida hand-plated Shibori tie-dyed raffia ceremonial kerchief mounted on a linen stretched board that floats off the wall in the shape of the k...

The African Kuba Bwoom tribal mask is the oldest known mask, the Kuba bwoom mask. The materials used for the realization of the Mask are: Wood, colors and vibrates plants, caures, beads, animal hair. In dance it expresses exuberance and joy. The style is similar to that of the middle Kasai. This mask is a helmet with animal hair, carved with a very wide forehead and hollow cheeks that are announced by motifs or dashes and beads. The mouth of the mask is very pronounced carved in wood and then applied on the mask. To distinguish the forehead in different areas are used black and white beads to draw attention to other aspects of the face such as the nose and chin. The entire edge of the chin is surrounded by beads of various colors. The person wearing the mask cannot look because there are no holes for the eyes present; the mask must create the feeling of being blind. Some masks similar to the bwoom mask include the funny mask, the ram mask and initiation masks such as Nnup. The real Kuba masks...

Striking in form, of light highly textured wood, two highly stylized anthropomorphic figures carved by the Moba people in Togo, West Africa. These forms most probably we owned by a f...

Hand carved African tribal wood carved sculpture of a men and women, Africa tribal Art Decor. Kenyan tribal sculpture featuring an elongated standing man and women with a crown and metal choker. Very simple modern look carved ethnic sculpture...

Vintage Asian Batik hand painted fabric art. The beautiful batik is a depiction of a pair of Masai couples in traditional tribal clothing. The batik is a wonderful example of a hand painted wall art. Batik is one of many methodologies of fabric art in a long and rich folk textile tradition around the world. It is a wax-resist type of dyeing operation where certain sections of a textile are pigmented while others are tied-off and shielded from coloring. Batik designs are created in various geometric motifs that have certain symbolism and convey status within society, but now too they use batik methods to achieve what in essence are paintings on fabric. Dimensions: 26” x 31” Date of Manufacture: 3rd Quarter of the 1900s Place of Origin: Africa Material: Textile Condition: Wear consistent with age and use The Persian Knot, SKU: 2264 Vintage Batik Painting...

Stone mortar and pestle Nigeria 20th century Measures: Mortar: 21 x 15.5 x 2 in. / 53 x 39 x 5 cm Height on custom display stand: 26...

Gilt metal orb pendant handcrafted by skilled artisans in Morocco, North Africa. Amazing metal Moroccan lantern hand-pierced with thousands of small holes to diffuse the light throug...

This stool, from the Gurage culture of Ethiopia, has been carved from a single piece of heavy, dense wood. The stool exhibits a flat, low form and over time, has developed a lovely d...

Cast into a beautiful coiled form, this copper alloy Igbo woman's arm adornment from Nigeria was also used as a form of currency. This 19th century piece has developed a lovely green...

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 ...

A chic modernist early 20th century Dan Peoples stool from Ivory Coast, carved from one piece of wood with a simple hourglass form, and the most wonderful p...

A Guere wood mask with paint and fiber remnant from We people displayed on a metal stand. The We people (also known as the Krahn or Guere) are an indigenous African people that inhabit areas in nowadays eastern Liberia and western Côte d'Ivoire. Their material culture shares many aspects with the neighboring Dan tribe. Like the Dans, the We use a wide variety of masquerades, which hold important regulatory position within their small, egalitarian communities. Masks are owned by families and used by individual lineage members in contexts of social control, ritual ceremony and entertainment. This type of Guere mask, however, has a distinct fearsome character. The ferocious design with jagged facial expression, bulging tubular eyes are intended for use in mediations between community members, as visual aids during moral lessons, as well as forms of entertainment. By portraying the more frightening nature of the animal, the mask is viewed as powerful and may have been used as part of social control methods prior to the introduction of Western law systems during the colonial period. The mask on offer, based on our examination, appears to be an original one that was used natively instead of reproduction made for the tourist market. The surface presents apparently genuine patina consistent with use. The red paint that highlights the eyes and gapping mouth also appear original. There are small losses flanking the nose ridge by the eyes, extensive surface accretion, remain of some fiber tassels. The back of the mask reveals chisel marks from hand tools and importantly, stain marks that were likely from repetitive contacts from the nose of the wearer. The mask is 9" in height, and it retains an old Sotheby’s catalog...

This hand-carved wooden stool was made in Tanzania by hand with native repair. The patch was added from hand-hammered brass. This piece has great energy and patina, giving it a cool ...

Terracotta Tikar Figurine - Maison Dieu - Cameroon primitive art - tribal art - Africa Measures : 15.5cmx9cm H:26.5cm Material : Terracotta Wear consistent with age and use.

The Beni Ouarain confederation is composed of seventeen tribes inhabiting the high mountain region of the northeastern Middle Atlas. Their rugs differ from other Berber weavings in t...

Genuine Large Green Verdite Shona-style Sculpture of a mother and child. Shona artists are masters of the bust sculpture. This large piece is typical of the Sub-Saharan Shona style. ...

These sculptures are considered manifestations of their deceased ancestors and are placed in ancestor shrines.

An incredible and rare mid-20th century Dida hand-plated Shibori tie-dyed raffia ceremonial kerchief mounted on a linen stretched board. This kerchief was not woven on a loom, but ra...

20th Century bark cloth painting, Mbuti (Efe) people, Ituri Forest, D. R. Congo A painted barkcloth from the Efe people in the Ituri forest of no...

African Tribal Art parchment wall shade sconce featuring a large curved hide form stitched on iron and hand painted surface. These Moroccan Art pieces could be used as wall lamp sha...

Tribal carved cup with handle with incised and carved design. Possibly from the Abeam People in the Sepik Region of New Guinea, the cup has overall meandering incised design and a s...

This beautifully preserved fragment of a wall painting is executed on plaster with an ochre and blue ground, depicting an agricultural scene with a man in profile to the right. He w...

Light masks like these represented the spirit of an ancestor and were used for social control by Ngil, the judiciary association. The facial markings, abstract features and strong, e...

A rather unusual Berber rug from the Ait Sgogou tribe, located in the Moroccan Middle Atlas, distinguished by a rich red open field embellished at both ends by contorting horizontal ...

Ngaady aMwaash Mask. African Antique Folk Art Kuba Mask, originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Property from a Private Collection. Acquired by a Norwegian Collector...

So as not to muss their intricate hairstyles while sleeping, Ethiopian women would traditionally rest their heads on these petite wooden stands. The combination of conic base and con...

African Tribal Art parchment wall shade sconce featuring a large triangle hide form stitched on iron and hand painted surface. These Moroccan Art pieces could be used as wall lamp s...

Grouping of Ceremonial coffee stands Ethiopia Early 20th century Wood Largest: 8" high x 6" diameter (20 x 15 cm) Smallest: 6.75" x 3.50" ( 17 x 9 cm) These little known Branc...

Vintage African Kuba textile, suitable for a modern wall panel, on a long table or to make pillows. an IDEA: use this item as backrest covering of a sofa ...

Great decorative Moroccan Berber Tuareg metal brass powder flask. African decorative brass with front richly decorated with Moorish embossed brass ocverlay. Moroccan tribal powder fl...

Old early Yaka slit drum, deep patina wear and polish from years of use, with original striker. From the Yaka people, Democratic Republic of Congo, early 20t...

African mask in hand painted wood, 20th century Angola.

The Baule people of the Ivory Coast used ram masks in secular, public performances. Realistically carved, and wonderfully decorated, they were designed to draw attention and enhance ...

An older small scale mask carved and painted white (now worn) with painted blue and black features and a black top knot. Marked on interior tape, “Yoruba”. The Mask with good age, fa...