Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
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Place of Origin: Sub-Saharan African
Rubbing Oracle Of The Kuba/Bushoong Tribe, Dr Congo, 1st Half Of The 20th Centur
By Kuba
Located in Bilzen, BE
A rubbing oracle from the Kuba tribe DR Congo carved in wood with a strong expression
Patina tribal use
Length 31.5 cm, height 5 cm
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Standing Female Pende Wood Figure with Arms at Sides Cascading Hair Congo
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Rare carved wood standing female Pende figure with arms at sides cascading hair. Classic downturned Pende style face, feet absent.
Democratic Republic of Congo, early to mid-20th...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Organic Material, Wood
$475 Sale Price
50% Off
Mid-20th Century Ceremonial Comb, Luba People, Zaire, D. R. Congo
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Ceremonial comb, Luba People, Zaire, D. R. Congo
Made of palm leaf midribs, this large, graphic comb has a pinched waist and is held together with finely wrapped wire. Presented o...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wire
Mid-Twentieth Century Tall Female Figure With Bead Decoration
Located in London, GB
This mid-twentieth century figurative sculpture, which comes from the Kwere culture in Tanzania, depicts a female standing in an upright stance, with her hands placed by her sides.
...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Hardwood
African Masai Beaded Traditional Artifact Wall Decor
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage African Masai Beaded Traditional Wedding Necklace Artifact Wall Decor from Kenya.
One of a kind piece artifact , expertly hand beaded by the skillful Maasai people.
This Bold and colorful necklace is worn among the Masai people of Kenya during weddings and special festivals.
Colorful beadwork, each color bead represents a different aspect of the Maasai culture:
Bravery, (red), Energy (blue), Purity (white), Nourishment (green), Warmth & Generosity (orange), Cycle of Life (yellow ), and Black represents the color of the people and daily struggles - their unity and harmony.
Handmade Artifact wall decor Maasai Tribal colorful jewelry African necklace...
Category
Late 20th Century Folk Art Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Beads
Pair African Gourd Storage Vessels, Kenya or Ethiopia, early-mid 20th Century
Located in Austin, TX
A fantastic pair of large African gourd storage vessels with native repairs, early to mid 20th century, Ethiopia or Kenya.
This pair of dried and hollowed gourd vessels would origin...
Category
20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Natural Fiber
Nupe Gourd Water Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Inspired by the natural world, nupe ceramicists fired this water vessel in the shape of a gourd. The vessel's varied textures and colors come from its utilitarian design. The paralle...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Ceramic
Ancient Stone Statue, West Africa possibly Sierra Leone
Located in Leuven , BE
These sculptures are considered manifestations of their deceased ancestors and are placed in ancestor shrines.
Category
20th Century Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
Baga a-Bamp Bird Headdress with Canoe
Located in Chicago, IL
This graceful sculpture of a long-necked bird is a headdress known as "a-Bamp," worn during ritual masquerades of Baga adolescents in Guinea. With strong themes of defiance, these ma...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Pair of Large Carved Moba Tchitchiri Sculptural Figures, Togo, circa 1930
Located in London, GB
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...
Category
1930s Tribal Vintage Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Sleep Guardian or Kata Sergo Ethiopian TOTEM 2 in Solid Natural Cedar Wood
Located in Paris, FR
TOTEM 2 sleep guardian or Kata Sergo from the ethnic
Gorague´, South / South West Ethiopia. Different ridges
are intended to evacuate the bad vibes from the fireplace
to the top hous...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Bronze
Dogon Tribe Hardwood Carved Rhythm Pounder from Mali, Africa
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Museum quality Dogon tribe ironwood percussion pounder reportedly collected from a Tellem cave in the Bandiagara Escarpment in Mali. Collected in the late 1970’s with approximate age...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Hardwood
Warrior ax, adze from the Fang tribe, Gabon, 19th century
Located in Bilzen, BE
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...
Category
19th Century Tribal Antique Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wrought Iron
Traditional African Sculpture of Mursi Woman with Lip Plate - Ethiopia
Located in Barueri, SP, BR
This stunning bronze golden-colored sculpture, crafted in Ethiopia, represents a Mursi woman, embodying Ethiopian craftsmanship's rich cultural heritage and artistic expression. The piece is striking and thought-provoking, featuring a meticulously sculpted bust with distinctive cultural elements. The sculpture pays homage to the Mursi women of Ethiopia, encapsulating their strength, resilience, and beauty.
The sculpture presents a fascinating fusion of realism and abstraction, with finely detailed facial features and textured elements. The golden finish adds a regal quality, making it an eye-catching centerpiece in any collection. It showcases traditional craftsmanship with a modern interpretation, making it a rare and valuable piece of African art.
Background and History
Like many indigenous groups across Africa, Mursi women have played vital roles in shaping their societies. Ethiopian art...
Category
20th Century Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Bronze
$1,920 Sale Price
20% Off
1940's - 1950's Pare Maternity Figure, Tanzania
Located in London, GB
This finely carved mid-twentieth century figurative sculpture, from the Pare culture in Tanzania, depicts a female with large, prominent ears. Standing in a proud, upright stance, sh...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Hardwood
African Carved Gabon Mask No:1
By LAGU
Located in İSTANBUL, TR
A unique mask, handmade by artisans in the Punu region of Gabon. This mask has been crafted using wood carving techniques and adorned with polychrome tempera paint, giving it a dist...
Category
20th Century Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Set of 2 Kusu (Tribal) currency from Democratic Republic of the Congo
Located in Winnetka, IL
Three Kuso Currency pieces known as Boloko are from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are made from forged iron and were used as currency in commerce. Today, they are sculp...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Iron
Terracotta Bura Spirit Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Sometimes called a "Bura bell" due to its shape, this sculptural terra cotta object was part of the Bura tribe's burial ritual. Buried with its flared mouth facing down, this cylindrical storage...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
1930's Beaded Snuff Container. Zulu, Southern Africa
Located in London, GB
This intimately-sized 1930's Zulu snuff container has been beautifully decorated with glass beads. A circular opening features on one side, and on the other side, overlapping blue-an...
Category
1930s Tribal Vintage Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood, Beads
Carved-Wood 'Bembe' Statue
Located in Washington, DC
Carved-Wood 'Bembe' Statue. Republic of Congo, circa 1970.
Category
1970s Vintage Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
African Mask Makonde
Located in Schellebelle, BE
Beautiful African Mask from Mozambique,
Makonde Tribe, from around 1965,
the mask has a great old patina and shine,
made of wood and animal skin and human air,
powerful collecters item
Category
1960s Vintage Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
$4,444
Asafo Banner
By Fante People
Located in Glasgow, GB
This is a very rare example of an Asafo Banner from the Fante people of the Cape Coast of Ghana . The Asafo have been a highly militarised society long before the Europeans set foot ...
Category
1940s British Colonial Vintage Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Cotton
$4,371 Sale Price
20% Off
"A Bridge of Dragon" Ghanaian Movie Poster, c. 1999
Located in Chicago, IL
Starring Dolph Lundgren, Bridge of Dragons was a pulpy action/romance from the late 1990s. The film's international success is evident in this hand-pain...
Category
Late 20th Century Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
African Tuareg Tea Pot Mauritania
Located in North Hollywood, CA
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 ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Brass, Copper, Pewter
Swazi Headrest With Old Label Attached, Southern Africa
Located in London, GB
The form of this Swazi headrest consists of an upper section supported by two tapering legs, fluted with vertical grooves.
A central lug features on the underside of the headrest, ...
Category
20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Beaded Ndebele Ceremonial Doll
Located in Chicago, IL
A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king). As beads become gradually more accessible throughout the 19th century, they began to displace the organic materials used in traditional art and attire.
This colorful example of African beadwork...
Category
Mid-20th Century Folk Art Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Cotton, Wood, Fabric
Yoruba Osanyin Healing Staff, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Iron
Anthropomorphic Lele Or Kuba Cup In Carved Wood, Mid-20th Century
By Kuba
Located in Bilzen, BE
Lele or Kuba Anthropomorphic Palm Wine Vessel
Democratic Republic of Congo, Mid-20th Century
Wood, carved and incised
H: 14.5 cm
This striking anthropomorphic vessel originates from...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Benin-Style Bronze Figural Pipe Mouthpiece
Located in Chicago, IL
World-renowned for high-quality lost wax casting, the city of Benin in West Africa has been a leading producer of fine cast brass and bronze sculptures since as early as the 16th cen...
Category
Late 19th Century Folk Art Antique Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Bronze Gold Weight Depicting a Traditional Hunter. Akan, Ghana
Located in London, GB
This Akan gold weight depicts a traditional hunter, smoking a pipe. He is shown holding a knife, with a second knife secured in his belt. A musket is balanced over his shoulder, and ...
Category
19th Century Tribal Antique Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Bronze
Pende or Kwese Black Wood Small Mask Heavy Eyelids Teeth, DRC Africa
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Pende or Kwese black wood small mask heavy eyelids, open mouth with carved teeth, curved scarification marks on cheeks. Heavy black patina on front and inside from years of traditio...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Fine Portrait Mask Tall Hair Design Baule People Ivory Coast Africa ex Fearing
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Fine portrait kpwan mask with tall braided hair design, dark to black patina, from the Baule People Ivory Coast Africa, ex Fearing.
Well carved features, curved slit eyes, open mout...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Ewe sculptures
Located in 'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, NL
Trio of small Ewe sculptures from Togo or Ghana.
Category
1950s Tribal Vintage Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
$177 / item
Fine Bronze Pendant. Gan, Burkina Faso
Located in London, GB
This crescent-shaped bronze pendant, features a central abstract figure. Below the figure, two stylised small birds perch in the middle of the pendant. Throughout, the surface of the...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Bronze
"Vijay Path" Ghanaian Movie Poster
Located in Chicago, IL
Vijaypath was a Bollywood action hit in 1994. It's critically acclaimed soundtrack topped charts across the world and became one of the most recognizable in India's history. The film's international success is evident in this hand-painted advertisement...
Category
Late 20th Century Modern Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Fabric
Genuine wooden figure in frame from the Holo tribe DR Congo, first haf 20 th C.
Located in Bilzen, BE
A genuine carved wooden frame with a figure inside carved from 1 single piece, these kind of items called "Nzambi".
Upper Kwango area DR Congo
Tribal aged using patina
Heigth 24 cm, ...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Bariba People, Benin, Rare Terracotta Ceremonial Vessel
Located in Leuven , BE
This piece of a pottery vessel, embellished with high relief figures, was made by women of the ethnic group of the Bariba (or Baatonu) in the northern provinces of Benin. The Bariba potters passed their trade from mother to daughter. They didn’t make their vessels on a pottery wheel...
Category
20th Century Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
Figura tribal africana Baule
Located in VALÈNCIA, ES
Figura tribal africana de origen, Senegal o Costa de Marfil
Category
1940s Tribal Vintage Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
$398 Sale Price
30% Off
Early 20th Century Female Figure. Lwena/Chokwe, Angola-Zambia
Located in London, GB
This early twentieth-century figurative sculpture, from the Lwena/Chokwe culture in the Angola-Zambia Border Region, depicts a female standing in an upright stance.
A defining char...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Fine Headrest. Karamojong, Uganda
Located in London, GB
A beautifully formed headrest from the Karamojong in Northern Uganda.
Estimated Period: Mid-20th Century (Or Before)
Ex Private Collection, UK
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Mid-20th Century Beaded Neck Adornment and Apron. Pokot, Kenya
Located in London, GB
Among the Pokot, body adornments are visual signifiers of power, wealth and status within the community. Given as a gift to a new bride by her husband, this finely beaded neck adornm...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Beads
Mother and Child Figure. Kwere, Tanzania
Located in London, GB
This finely carved figure with a prominent sweeping hairstyle sits upright with her knees bent and holding out her child in a forward position. The surface of the figure is smooth an...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Naive Ethiopian Painting Circle of Life 'Scene of the Year', 1970s
Located in Budapest, HU
The upper two lines show Months of Year form September to February and March to August, below the scenes of life.
with Ge'ez language inscriptions.
Category
1970s Folk Art Vintage Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Canvas
Kuba Wooden Neck Rest (early 20th Century) Dr Congo
By Kuba
Located in Bilzen, BE
Authentic Kuba Wooden Headrest
Democratic Republic of Congo, Early 1900s
Hand-carved hardwood with incised geometric motifs
Dimensions: heigth 14 cm, width 18 cm
Description:
A rare...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
A Mbukushu braided headdress
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Mbukushu / Kavango Group, Botswana/Namibia/Angola, Early 20th century
An exquisite and old example of a Mbukushu braided wig headdress, featuring a leather or hide base that has na...
Category
Early 20th Century Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Leather, Shell, Natural Fiber
Yoruba Omo Bell, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This four-sided brass face bell, known as omo, was created by an artisan of the Ijebu Yoruba People of Southern Nigeria. A mark of the wearer's rank and power, the bell would have be...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Metal
$1,880
Antique carved wooden headdress from the Yoruba tribe, Nigeria, 1900-1920
By Yoruba Tribe
Located in Bilzen, BE
A carved wooden headdress from the Yoruba tribe, Nigeria
Strong expression face
Early 20th century
Rich tribal aged patina
Heigth 12 cm, diameter 12 x 13 cm
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Senufo Copper Reeds Currency Bracelet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
The traditional form of the Senufo currency bracelet is stripped down in this more minimalistic version. Two gracefully upswept bands join to form a ...
Category
Mid-19th Century Antique Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Copper
Ethno Design Mbole People, DRC, Chief Scepters Collection Made of Palmtree Leaf
Located in Leuven , BE
The Sceptres are made of the Midrib of Palm tree leaves. They were uses by the members of the Lilwaa Secret Society of the Mbole Tribe that live in the ...
Category
1920s Vintage Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Organic Material
African Bird Mask From The Dan Tribe, Ivory Coast, early 1900
Located in Bilzen, BE
Ancient African mask from the Dan Tribe (Ivory Coast, Africa).
Beautiful patina inside and out, in good condition with traces of tribal use.
Ex. French private collection.
Ex. Dutch...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Tabwa Staff with Female Figure
Located in Chicago, IL
This hand carved 20th century wooden staff, was crafted in the style of the Tabwa people located along the southwestern shores of Lake Tanganyika. The handle is finely decorated with...
Category
20th Century Folk Art Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
$686 Sale Price
30% Off
Standing Iron Figure. Bambara, Mali
Located in London, GB
Ex Private Collection, Belgium
Estimated Period: First Half of 20th Century
Width of Iron Figure at Widest Point: 5.5cm
Depth (Incl. Stand): 5.5cm
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Iron
1940's - 1950's Zulu Milk Pail ('Ithunga'), South Africa
Located in London, GB
This early-twentieth-century tall, narrow vessel, from the Zulu culture in South Africa, would have traditionally served as a milk pail.
Known as an 'ithunga', the vessel exhibits ...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Hardwood
Fine Female 'Biteki' Figure (Ex Romy Rey Collection)
Located in London, GB
This beautifully carved 'Biteki' figure, from the Yaka culture in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, depicts a female crowned with a large, abstracted coiffure. The figure exhibit...
Category
20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Wood
Bura Spirit Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Sometimes called a "Bura bell" due to its shape, this sculptural terracotta form would have been a critical component of burial rituals of the Bura people of Niger. Buried with its flared mouth facing down, this cylindrical storage...
Category
Early 20th Century Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
Incised Copper Currency Anklet
Located in Chicago, IL
Time-honored texture and form define this Nigerian copper sculptural object. The intricate geometry was achieved through a process known as scarification. The artisan would meticulou...
Category
19th Century Tribal Antique Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Copper
Terracotta Bura Spirit Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Sometimes called a "Bura bell" due to its shape, this sculptural terra cotta object was part of the Bura tribe's burial ritual. Buried with its flared mouth facing down, this cylindrical storage...
Category
Early 20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Terracotta
Fine Traditional Doll. Nyamwezi, Tanzania
Located in London, GB
The body consisting of a gourd in a beautiful form and decorated with a simple contrasting band of old glass beads of white, red and blue.
A piece with a wonderful form that was tra...
Category
Mid-20th Century Tribal Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Beads
19th Century Igbo Spiral Copper Alloy Arm Adornment/Currency, Nigeria
Located in London, GB
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...
Category
19th Century Tribal Antique Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Copper
Incredible Loose 31.00 Carat Bi Color Tourmaline Drilled Craving from Africa
By Deloris "Dee" Giltz 1
Located in Peshawar, PK
Incredible Loose Bi-Color Tourmaline Drilled Craving From Africa
WEIGHT: 31.00 Carat
DIMENSIONS: 2.5 x 2.2 x 0.6 Cm
ORIGIN: Madagascar, Africa
Color : Pink and Green
TREATMENT...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Adam Style Antique Sub-Saharan African Folk Art
Materials
Crystal
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