Sub-Saharan African Folk 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...

Yoruba female figure, an Ibeji or twin figure, Nigeria, Africa, well loved with very worn face, large eyes. A finely carved Yoruba female Ibeji figure with pointed headdress, large ...

Decorative and exceptionally large Burchell's zebra skin (Equus quagga burchellii). The skin displays the species' distinctive striped pattern in warm dark brown and cream tones, ma...

Handled Wooden Bowl West Africa Carved hardwood with metal repair Hand-carved from a single block of dense hardwood, this utilitarian bowl features an integral handle and a deep, op...

Created and used from the late 19th century into the 20th century, Dan passport masks served as personal talismans with spiritual connection and as portable identification symbol rep...

A wonderful hand carved wood Kifwebe mask created by the Songye and Luba peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kifwebe mask are used by the Bwadi Bwa Kifwebe secret socie...

The African wood female bust figurative sculpture of a Mandinka woman is a striking piece of art that encapsulates the cultural heritage and craftsmanship of West Africa. Hand-carved...

This African bronze currency forms an incomplete circle, its open ends leaning toward one another like a conversation paused mid-breath. The su...

Kuba (Bushong) Raffia Fiber Textile Panel From Woman’s Skirt The Bushong people are one of the largest and most dominant ethnic groups within the Kuba Kingdom in the DR Congo, and h...

A fantastic, wonderfully designed African tribal art Korhogo Textile painting by the Senufo people of Korhogo, Ivory Coast. Korhogo textile painting (This type of cloth painting c...

A superb elegant example of a Ethiopian head rest from the Oromo tribe. Carved in hard wood in Crescent shape with cut sections Matured aged used patina height 15 cm Period: Early-...

This Tuareg leather box is a finely crafted circular container created by a Malian artisan now living and working in the United States. Contemporary in its production yet grounded in...

Adire “Oniko” Cloth with spiral pattern Yoruba People, Nigeria Circa 1970s Two panel cotton, Shibori technique, Indigo Dyed 71 3/4 x 48 1/2 inches

Early and rare mask from Gabon, Central Africa, created by the Tsogho peoples. Powerful large mask with carved open eyes, and black painted eyes above, below heavy carved eyebrows. ...

Geometric Barmbara Sukuru Animal Mask with horns, teeth, from Mali, West Africa. Inserted wood teeth, abstract face with open eyes, with raised eyebrows and framed face. Old native...

A Pair of Inkangara Prestige Baskets Rwanda or Burundi, Tutsi and Hutu peoples 20th century (1960s/1970s) Left H 13 ins (33 cm); D 7 ins (17.5 cm) Right H 13.5 ins (34...

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

Benin brass Armlets or Anklets A pair of heavy Brass armlets with three rows of cowrie shells, Certainly a well worn pair one slightly twisted. They have been cleaned at some point. Rare pieces. Benin 19th century and earlier. For similar pair see re thinking pit Pitt Rivers pit rivers museum online collection Oxford UK.

19th Century thick black hide circular shield from the Arrusi people of Ethiopia, Africa. A thick hard shield with heavy embossed design, perhaps a bit like an animal in the center....

Baule antelope-human wood old weaving heddle loom pulley. From Ivory Coast, Africa It is in good condition with wear, polish and erosion from traditional use, appropriate for its ag...

Small used Senufo stylized bird faced weaving heddle pulley, Ivory Coast Africa I Deep patina and polish from traditional use, circular wear inside from weaving bobbin, now absent. 6...

While shield and spear were central to African combat, this iron sword blade was most likely made to serve as a piece of trade currency. Many pre-colonization African currencies were...

Carved wood powerful portrait of a Makonde man with a traditional lip plug in his upper lip, high carved cheek bones in the form of a finely carved helmet mask, with attached hair on...

A good example of an African Ashanti tribal headrest. Ghana. Early to mid-twentieth century.

Old and well used Luba wood medicine mortar with classic carved Luba face, DRC Africa. The mortar is heavily worn with deep polished surface outside from many years of use, and the i...

Vintage Nupe of Nigeria thinly cast hollow bronze purse or container, probably created by the lost wax process with attached bronze bells and rings. Hollow with fine overlaid designs...

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

Vintage Korhogo handspun, handwoven and hand-painted cotton mud cloth by the women of the Korhoga Village who spin the cotton, while the men weave and sew the cloth...

This striking hand-woven Kente cloth is an authentic West African textile created within the revered Ewe–Asante (Ashanti) weaving tradition of Ghana, celebrated for its vibrant color, symbolic geometry, and extraordinary craftsmanship. Woven from a luxurious blend of silk and cotton, this piece exemplifies the artistry and cultural depth that have made Kente one of the world’s most recognized and collected textiles. The design features a dynamic palette of turquoise green, golden yellow, warm brown, and glowing orange, arranged in rhythmic bands and geometric motifs. Each color carries traditional meaning—green for renewal and growth, yellow for wealth and vitality, and rich earth tones for grounding and stability—creating a composition that is both visually captivating and culturally resonant. Kente cloths were historically worn by royalty and used for important ceremonial occasions, making them powerful expressions of prestige, heritage, and identity. Today, they are prized by collectors and interior designers alike for their bold graphic presence and textural richness, whether displayed as wall art, draped over furniture, or incorporated into curated interiors. Dimensions: 83” x 118” Date of Manufacture: 3rd Quarter of the 1900s Place of Origin: Ghana, Africa Material: Silk, Cotton Condition: Good The Persian Knot Gallery, SKU: 2322 African Kente Cloth, Ewe Kente Textile, Ashanti Kente, Hand Woven African Textile, Ghanaian Kente Cloth, Silk And Cotton Kente, African Wall Hanging, Tribal Textile Art, Vintage African Fabric, Ghana Textile...

This is a beautiful pair of Ceremonial Baskets from the Tutsi people of Rwanda in East Africa. These baskets are handwoven and given as Wedding gifts with a trinket inside each bask...

Janiform ceremonial headdress from the Ekoi, Ejagham people of the Cross River region of Southeastern Nigeria, circa early 20th century. The janus symbolism from the Cross River r...

Very rare African Dagara mask Ngbaka people. Africa, Congo, early to mid 20th century A beautiful early to mid 20th century African so called 'Dagara’ mask from the Ngbaka and Mbanj...

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...

Mid-20th Century Globular Vessel, Mangbetu People, D. R. Congo An unusually large and striking non-figurative vessel from the Mangbetu people, comprised of six lobes joined to a c...

Wood three legged chair with openwork geometric back, from the Gurage or Oromo people, Ethiopia, Vintage Africa Carved of a single piece of wood, this was a chair for an important p...

Two old Kuba cloths - a type of raffia cloth made from woven natural palm leaf fibers unique to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa. Previously one long cloth measuring 206...

Yoruba weathered and worn old female figure, an Ibeji or twin figure, Nigeria, Africa, well loved heavy patina. Strong face with open eyes, domed hat or hair style with carved decora...

Antique Kuba Shoowa Cut-Pile & Embroidered Cloth, DR Congo A graphically compelling example of a Kuba raffia fiber prestige cloth with cut pile and stitched embroidery. In very good...

Adire Eleko Woman's Wrapper Yoruba People Nigeria Circa 1960s-1970s Cotton) (2 panels), starch-resist and stencil dyed with indigo 74 x 67 3/4 ins (188 x 172 cm) "IRANA RDLEN " w...

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...

Matching rare pair of male twin figures "Ibeji" from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Africa, created in the early 20th century. remains of Reckitts blue (laundry bleach) bluing in hai...

This wood bowl from the Tuareg tribe in Mali has a quiet, grounded presence, shaped by hand and time. Its softly rounded form is animated by incised geometric bands that circle the vessel, the repeating lines and crosshatched motifs catching light and shadow as the surface curves inward. The dark, earthen patina suggests long use and careful handling, giving the bowl a sense of history and intimacy. Subtle variations in tone and texture reveal the maker’s touch, where utility and ornament are inseparable. Today, bowls like this are often appreciated as decorative objects rather than everyday wares. They are used as sculptural accents on shelves or tables, as containers for dried botanicals or found objects, or simply displayed on their own to highlight their craftsmanship. In contemporary interiors, they bring warmth, material depth, and a connection to African artisanal traditions, bridging past function with present-day aesthetic appreciation. African Wooden Bowl...

Ligbi mask, with a protruding plate on the head engraved with decorative motifs. Highlights of blue pigments and kaolin enhance this small mask, satin black patina. The appearance is...

An warior axe from the Fang tribe (Gabon) with a rich aged using patina from the 19th century Totally uncleaned blade Length wooden handle 49 cm, iron blade 15.5 x 10.5 cm Tribal pat...

African Tribal Fine Large Somalian Gashan Shield Fine old hide shield with hammered etched geometric design on front and back A Historic collectable and great Interior design ele...

African tribal art. Fine old male and female pair of Yoruba Ibeji Figures from the Igbuke carving workshop in Oyo. Igbuke was a known carver of Ibeji figures and this style is attri...

A Dan Mask Wood, Old ‘metal’ staple repair West Africa - Côte d’Ivoire 19th / early 20th Century - circa 1900 Size: 22cm high, 13cm wide - 8⅔ ins high, 5¼ ins wide Provenance...

African Ethiopian painting imported to Italy by a diplomat during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia, in the late 1930s. This tribal folk art painting depicts a battle scene and the canvas is mounted on a parallelogram-shaped frame. It is a large battle painting...

Carved wood Akuaba, sometimes known as an Ashanti doll or a Fanti doll. Untouched condition with a beautiful natural age-related patina. Akua'ba (sometim...

Carved wood large female Songye Kifwebe mask with classic white lines, blackened ridge down crest of forehead, nose and mouth. Worn holes around back edge of mask from attachment of...

Tribal Art - African Art Fang Male Reliquary Figure (Bieri Style), Fang-Betsi Subgroup, Gabon, Circa 1950s Carved from dense hardwood, this 16 3/4-inch-tall figure, with a deep, ric...

A hand-carved partially painted (natural pigments) Lega/kwele/bakwele mask. Artisan made in Congo circa 1960-80 and brought back to Denmark by a Danish traveller. It is executed in u...

A beautifully sculptured stool from the Lobi people of Burkina Faso . This beautiful piece of sculpture will date fromntge late 19th century Simple but practical in form this stool...

This is a very rare Palm Wine Cup from the Kuba people of Congo. Carved in the early part of the 20th century , possibly earlier. Carved with classic Royal geometric patterns with a ...

A superb Igbo Nigeria helmet mask 'Agbogho Mmuo" or Maiden Spirit. Worn as masqurades during funerals, cleansing rituals, harvest festivals, weddings and ...

Chamba, Nigeria, Africa Iron Early 20th century 14.5 x 7 in. / 37 x 18 cm Height on custom display stand: 16.5 in. / 42 cm Various models of these original currency bearers were...

This is a large vintage display mask. An African, hand carved ironwood ceremonial tribal mask, dating to the late 20th century. Superb decorative appeal, with a delightfully naive ...

A late 19th or early 20th century Kuba Prestige cloth, mostly embroidered with cut pile borders.

Makonde Body Mask For Fertility Early 1900s made by the Makonde people between Tanzania and Mozambique, this mask was part of the costume young dancers wore when participating in an ...

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