African Gabon Kota Mahongwe Hongwe Bwete Reliquary Guardian Figure Sculpture

A carved wood Iagalagana figure by the Mumuye Peoples of Nigeria. These figures served as guardians and were often made to ensure the personal protection of their individual owners a...

A monumental, very tall, quite engaging African Bansonyi serpent snake sculpture/ headdress/ mask by the Baga people who reside along the coast of Guinea Bissau. The Baga snake...

A quite wonderful Mexican Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos festival held throughout Mexico) La Catrina symbolic skeleton figure. La Catrina is the festival’s most recognizable image/figure. She is the model of a high-society woman who has met Death, her maker. She represents something between the fear induced by her skeletal form and the revelry exhibited by the comical way she is typically portrayed, making her a perfect symbol of the Mexican holiday. She often appears in paintings, window displays, and costumes all around Mexico during the Day of the Dead festivities. La Catrina was originally conceived in the early 1900s by newspaper illustrator and printmaker José Guadalupe Posada...

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 These pieces were originally made...

This exceptional Kota reliquary comes from the Mahogwe tribe, which lives along the Ogooué River in Gabon. The Mahogwe are part of the Kota ethnic group located in the northeastern r...

Mounted African tribal figure, used as a door latch in the early 20th century.

A fantastically hand-crafted piece by the Kota (or Bakota) tribe who are located in the northeastern region of Gabon. This figure, which is a Mahongwe reliquary figure as exhibited with its truncated almond-shaped face, is made of wound copper, hammered brass and wood. Reliquary figures were used as guardians to protect the revered bones of venerated family ancestors and leaders and ward off unwanted spirits. These figures are meant to embody intense powers and were also commonly used in communal rites and ritual performances. This particular piece came from an American collector who traveled the African continent and collected African artifacts for over 50 years. This piece has a beautiful, organically aged patina acquired naturally over time and use. It is mounted on a custom wooden display stand. We believe it dates back to the early to mid-1900s but could be older. We are listing as 20th century because we did not have it appraised. This African Tribal Statue Osseyba or Reliquary Figure Kota (Bakota) Mohongwe Peoples decorative art would clearly stand out as part of a collection or by itself in any setting. Truly unique, eye-catching and engaging. Dimensions on stand: 25 3/4" High, 7" Wide, 5 1/2" Deep Kota Reliquary...

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