Finely Carved Tanzanian Chieftain's Stool

Traditionally worn as a symbol of rank and title, this beautiful Kuba chieftain's cap (laket mishiing) is embellished with cowrie shells and rows of blue, white and black glass beads. The body of the hat has been fashioned from raffia fibre using the woven basketry technique, and displays the typical form of the Kuba 'laket' cap, with four scallop-shaped 'ears'. When worn, one of the 'ears' would have been squarely positioned at the front of the wearer's forehead. Given to Kuba men upon completion of an initiation rite, small dome-shaped raffia hats signalled their transformation into mature members of Kuba society. As a Kuba man moved up the social ladder, his headgear would change, with male titleholders commissioning local artisans to produce splendidly decorated prestige hats to signal his rank. The accumulation of materials on a Kuba man’s hat...

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...

Zulu Tribal carved wood Snuff Container, South Africa A finely carved snuff container with finely carved incised great geometric designs, a great example of the detailed work the Zu...

Hand carved wooden Makonde Mask From Mozambique, Tanzania Circa 1950s. Mozambican Makonde masks represent ancestral spirits who temporarily return to earth to appear in dances that c...