Tribal Art

Early 20th Century Congolese Tribal Art

Iron

In many pre-colonial regions of Africa, iron was so valuable that tools often doubled as currencies for rare but significant transactions. This large iron form is a currency piece fr...

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Art

Steel, Iron

Like many pieces of traditional African metalwork, this metal gong served multiple purposes within the Yoruba communities of northern Nigeria. It was a ceremonial instrument, a poten...

Early 20th Century Cameroonian Tribal Art

Iron

With flared hourglass shape and tightly coiled ends, this bundle of iron currency pieces is imbued with a sense of tension and movement - despite being completely rigid and immobile....

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Art

Fabric, Beads

The Yoruba peoples of Nigeria are some of Africa's most famous artisans. Their deep mythologies fired the imaginations and talents of skilled craftspeople to create extraordinary wor...

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Art

Fabric, Beads

The Yoruba peoples of Nigeria are some of Africa's most famous artisans. Their deep mythologies fired the imaginations and talents of skilled craftspeople to create extraordinary wor...

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Art

Iron

Like many pieces of traditional African metalwork, this gong had multiple uses for the Chamba people of the Benue River Valley in Nigeria. It was a ceremonial instrument, a status sy...

Mid-20th Century Nigerian Tribal Art

Shell, Fabric, Beads

This intricately-constructed colorful train was painstakingly created by Yoruba artisans in Nigeria in the mid-20th century. Recent designs such as this were based upon sashes that s...

Mid-20th Century Nigerian Tribal Art

Shell, Fabric, Beads

This intricately-constructed colorful train was painstakingly created by Yoruba artisans in Nigeria in the mid-20th century. Recent designs such as this were based upon sashes that s...

Mid-20th Century Nigerian Tribal Art

Shell, Fabric, Beads

This intricately-constructed colorful train was painstakingly created by Yoruba artisans in Nigeria in the mid-20th century. Recent designs such as this were based upon sashes that s...

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Art

Steel, Iron

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 ...

Mid-20th Century Cameroonian Tribal Art

Iron

Many pre-coinage African currencies were formed after objects of inherent practical value. This sickle-form iron currency created by an artisan of the Matakam people of Cameroon was ...

Mid-20th Century Cameroonian Tribal Art

Iron

Many pre-coinage African currencies were formed after objects of inherent practical value. This sickle-form iron currency created by an artisan of the Matakam people of Cameroon was ...

Mid-20th Century Turkish Kilim Turkish Rugs

Wool, Cotton

"Grain Sack" rug. A tribal cargo bag or rug from Southeast Turkey, flat-woven with an intricate brocaded panel in the front. Woven exclusively for domestic use, with very little chan...

Mid-20th Century Ghanaian Decorative Art

Fabric

A large and graphically stunning asafo flag. Fante flags represent the merger of two cultural traditions, the Akan tradition of combining proverbs with visual imagery and the Euro...

Unknown

Antique Late 19th Century Malian Tribal Tribal Art

A fine Dogon door lock surmounted by two seated figures. The angular features of the pair are emphasized by strict rectilinear shapes, echoed at the bottom of the lock's face by a st...

Mid-20th Century Ghanaian More Folk Art

Fabric

A large and graphically stunning asafo flag. Fante flags represent the merger of two cultural traditions, the Akan tradition of combining proverbs with visual imagery, and the Eur...

Antique 19th Century Ivorian Tribal Arms, Armor and Weapons

Metal

A stunning 19th century knife with choral-colored shells on the scabbard. Among the many remarkable art traditions for which the Baule people of Cote D'ivoire are known is their m...

20th Century Kenyan Folk Art Tribal Art

Wood

An early colonial carving from Kenya. There is a rich tradition of carving colonial figures for sale to European colonists throughout Africa. Many of these master carvers carved f...

Early 20th Century South African Tribal Tribal Art

Ceramic

An extremely rare 19th century ceramic vessel, South Africa. Ceramic vessels from South Africa dating to the late 19th century are extremely rare. We are pleased to be able to off...

Antique 19th Century Polynesian Tribal Tribal Art

Wood

A classic Austral Islands paddle featuring the intricate surface carving for which these objects are renowned. Ceremonial paddles are icons of Austral Islands art, and although their...

Antique Late 19th Century Lesothian Tribal Tribal Art

Wood

This small wooden Sotho prestige vessel boasts a carved geometric design and a beautiful smooth finish. The blackened design was produced by using a hot poker. Perfect for displa...

Antique Late 19th Century Congolese Tribal Tribal Art

Elegance and painstaking craftsmanship mark this Boa sickle, which stands like an alert snake, poised, rigid yet fluid. The warmth of the handle against the cool steel grey of the bl...

Antique 19th Century New Zealand Tribal Tribal Art

Wood

A traditional Maori staff (taiaha), carved from a single piece of hardwood and endowed with a deep, warm patina of age. The 'tongue' of the staff (arero), used to deliver stabbing bl...

Unknown

Antique Late 19th Century South African Tribal Tribal Art

Knobkerries were ubiquitously carried by South African men as weapons and symbols of status. While typically designed as utilitarian objects, they were oftentimes crafted with a grea...

Antique 1870s South African Tribal Tribal Art

Brass, Copper, Wood

An exceptional 19th century Zulu wirework prestige stick. This beautiful and exceedingly rare object would have been owned by a person of very high rank and status. The staff is deco...

Antique Late 19th Century Australian Tribal Tribal Art

Wood

A lovely, elegantly carved hardwood boomerang. With its pointed arc silhouette, the weapon almost seems to depict an abstract avian form. Subtle striations run the length of the stic...

Mid-20th Century Ghanaian Decorative Art

Fabric

A large and graphically stunning Fante asafo flag. Fante flags represent the merger of two cultural traditions, the Akan tradition of combining proverbs with visual imagery and th...

Antique Late 19th Century Ivorian Tribal Tribal Art

Wood

Divinatory figures among the Baule were used as dwellings of asye usu, or bush spirits, incorporeal consciousness’s from outside the village bounds brought into communication with th...

Early 20th Century Congolese Tribal Collectibles and Curiosities

Wood

A beautiful interplay of raised planes and clustered incisions structures this impressive cephalomorphic Congolese pipe. Flowing line work textures the head, which joins with the bri...

Antique 19th Century Malian Tribal Tribal Art

Delicate symmetry defines this old, rare heddle pulley, which features twin figures posed back to back across an open space. The slim, caliper like silhouette of the pulley has been ...

Mid-20th Century Kenyan Tribal Tribal Art

Wood

A highly abstract wooden post from Kenya. The Giryama people of the Kenyan coast are known for their long standing tradition of carved wooden mortuary posts. The grave posts, call...

Antique Mid-19th Century Samoan Tribal Tribal Art

Wood

A 19th century Samoan dance paddle or club. This old dance paddle has a fine old patina and geometric form. It is known as an anave. The club has a long lozenge-shaped blade and f...

Antique Late 19th Century Malawian Tribal Tribal Art

Beads

A lovely beadwork sash in white, green, and blue with delicate tassels at either end. Yao beadcraft commonly features triangular motifs, and this sash is no exception, featuring hori...

Vintage 1930s Nigerian Other Figurative Sculptures

Wood

The Igbo are one of Nigeria's three major ethnic groups, accounting for about 20% of the total population, concentrated in the south-east of the country. The Igbo culture (Heebo, Ib...

Antique Late 19th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Art

Wood

A turn of the century "Ompi" featuring a totemic ancestor's face, Markham Valley, Morobe Province. Signs of wear and old lime deposits, soft worn patina. Ex UK collection 10 cm.  

Early 20th Century Australian Tribal Art

Wood

Aboriginal spearthrower carved and incised wood, abrus seeds, cane, shell and gum resin. 62.5cms long, 10.5cms wide. Aboriginal tribes, north Australia, Queensland.

Antique 19th Century Tongan More Asian Art, Objects and Furniture

A Tongan palm leaf fan. Provenance, the Melanesian Mission. Founded in 1849 by George Augustus Selwyn. The work of the Mission was primarily centred in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, b...

Antique Late 19th Century Fijian Collectible Jewelry

Ivory

A beautiful 25 short tusk Fijian sperm whale tooth necklace. These necklaces were highly important made for Fijian Chiefs and used in exchange in order to create relationships betwee...

Artisan

Mid-20th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art

Metal

West African hand beaded head dress crown from Yoruba, Nigeria. This artistic beautiful and functional art piece is covered with beads in turquoise, orange, green, yellow red, blue ...

Mid-20th Century Indonesian Tribal Tribal Art

Large tribal wooden bowl or tray from the Batak of Sumatra, mid-20th century. Scaramanga's bowls are authentic old hand carved wooden bowls with small marks, imperfections and varia...

Benin People

Mid-20th Century Beninese Tribal Tribal Art

Bronze

Head of a Queen Mother. Nigeria, Edo, Benin 20th century. Measures: H 23 in. (58 cm) 11.8 lbs (5.35 KG).

Artisan

Mid-20th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art

Metal

West African hand beaded head dress crown from Yoruba, Nigeria. This artistic beautiful and functional art piece is covered with beads in ivory, red and black colors with faces bird...

Early 20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Art

Wood

Boiken bowl, shallow circular form, the underside carved in shallow relief with a star design, stylised motifs within its border leading the two handles with notched edge and two lo...

Artisan

Mid-20th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art

Fabric, Beads

West African hand beaded head dress crown from Yoruba, Nigeria. This artistic beautiful and functional art piece is covered with beads in ivory, red, blue, green, yellow and black c...

Early 20th Century Vanuatuan Sculptures and Carvings

Wood

Ceremonial Mask H 24 cm, W 25 cm (incl. Tusks) Natural polychrome pigments, vegetable clay, wood, tree fern, boar tusk, spiderweb, coconut shell fibre. Native repair to one tusk ente...

Early 20th Century Australian Tribal Art

Wood

Beautiful Aboriginal Wunda shield, Western Australia. Pandal design featuring white clay, red ochre wash.

Antique Late 19th Century Congolese Tribal Tribal Art

Wood

Dark patination and pigmentation lend an immediate visual appeal to this powerful Suku helmet mask. Its facial features which project a remarkably sensitive, introspective air – are ...

Antique Late 19th Century Liberian Tribal Masks

Wood

A great sense of mass imbues this Bassa mask, imposing with its classically large brow, full cheeks, and heavy, almond-shaped silhouette. As the face sinks forcefully in at the eyes,...

20th Century Tanzanian Tribal Stools

Wood

A graphic Hehe stool with three ridged legs and old patina of use. The Hehe people lived in isolation on a highland in southwestern Tanzania, northeast of Lake Nyasa. With the exc...

Mid-20th Century Ghanaian Tribal Art

A large and graphically stunning asafo flag. Fante flags represent the merger of two cultural traditions, the Akan tradition of combining proverbs with visual imagery, and the Eur...

Unknown

Early 20th Century Zambian Tribal Tribal Art

A beautifully carved lidded bowl with a decorative handle in the form of a swimming duck. This vessel is graced with a lovely, developed patina that displays deep, dark browns alongs...

Mid-20th Century Ghanaian Tribal Art

Fabric

A large and graphically stunning Asafo flag. Fante flags represent the merger of two cultural traditions, the Akan tradition of combining proverbs with visual imagery, and the Eur...

Early 20th Century South African Tribal Tribal Art

Wood

Knobkerries were ubiquitously carried by Southern African men as weapons, dance staffs and symbols of status. While typically designed as somewhat utilitarian objects, they were ofte...

Charles Combes

Vintage 1950s French Primitive Pedestals and Columns

Palmwood

Charles Alphonse Combes (1891-1968) An exceptional carved stele in solid palmwood, in the Africanist style of the 1931 Paris Exposition Coloniale. Carved on both sides.

Antique Late 19th Century Turkmen Tribal Central Asian Rugs

Wool

Antique Beshir Turkmen rug. A highly collectible antique rug, attributed to the Ersari Turkmen tribes in Central Asia, in a more ornate style often referred to as "Beshir." This rug ...

Mid-20th Century Moroccan Tribal Moroccan and North African Rugs

Wool

"Chessboard Boogie Woogie," Moroccan Berber carpet or rug. A very unusual Moroccan Berber carpet or rug attributed to the Ait Bou Ichaouen tribes. The basic checkered design is ubiqu...

Antique 19th Century Ethiopian Tribal Chairs

Wood

A wonderful hand-carved Jimma chair with tripod legs from a single piece of dense wanza wood, probably made by the Gurage people of Southwest Ethiopia in Africa. Probably dates to th...

Vintage 1920s Persian Tribal Persian Rugs

Cotton, Wool

A Bokhara rug from the Central Asia region of the early 20th century with geometric gulls and polygons with a rust background and shades of blue and beiges. Tribal motifs with Classi...