20th Century Tribal Art

Tall hand-carved wooden oracle or divination tapper "Iroke Ifa" statue, showing a kneeling woman holding her breasts. Yoruba, Nigeria, circa 1930s. Yoruba belief specifies that each ...

Mid-20th century Tribal Offering bowl lid in the form of a bird, Yoruba people This wonderful carved wood offering bowl lid is shaped like a bird, traditionally considered messenger...

This Ikat textile originates from the Island of Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is hand-woven using naturally dyed yarns via a method passed on through generations amid the Dayak Tribes...

Antique Indian Hindu Silver Amulet necklace Period 19th century High grade silver Pendant Length 8 x 6 cm weight 60 grams Condition: Fine. Restrung on cotton.

A well crafted wooden Folk Art Mortar and Pestle. The piece is used for crushing everything from herbs and spices, to medicines. While the piece is practical, the wooden craftsmans...

A wooden mask from the Salampasu tribe called Mukinka. The mask is covered with copper pieces from 1 x 2 cm and has a beard in vegetal fiber, the top of the head is also covered with...

Interesting maternity figure in a hieratic pose presenting a young adolescent. Beautiful facial expression, showing wisdom and knowledge. She is sitti...

Set of two African tribal carved out of solid wood and painted art pieces.

A Finely Carved Dan Mask Of exceptional form, colour and patina Wood, fibre (braid) Ivory Coast Early 20th Century Size: 25cm high - 10¾ ins high Provenance: Ex Guy Montaibou c...

Carved Helmut masks of this type were made by the Sande society of the Mende people of Sierra Leone, Africa for use in masquerades by young women in initi...

African Adja protective spirit figures Aklama twins. Togo, Africa. Wood, pigment. 20th Century Left: 8 x 1.75 x 0.5 / 20 x 4.5 x 1 cm. Right: 7.75 x 1.75 x 0.5 in. / 19.5 x 4....

A long Berber necklace, hand-crafted with Copal amber large beads and silver accents. Morocco, early 20th Century. Copal amber is a tree resin similar to amber but not fully fossil...

Yua Shell Currency, Bride’s Price Sepik River Region, Papua New Guinea Hand carved from a clam shell Measures: 7 x 7.5 in / 18 x 19 cm Height on cus...

An exquisite Benin bronze sculpture in shape of a bell depicting an Oba. Oba translates to "ruler" in the Yoruba and Bini languages of contempor...

Handmade ethnic aged Borneo Ajat basket made from natural Rattan. Motifs of Burung Kenyalang / Hornbill Bird. Traditional ethnic Borneo woven natural organic fiber rattan basket A ...

Early 20th century Chiwara Headdress, Bamana (Bambara) People, Mali Chiwara headcrests represent the antelope spirit who taught the Bamana people ...

This comb was fashioned in the hand carved, traditional Makonde style. This fertility comb features a pregnant woman. Generally, local carvers make only a belly and breast comb to be...

Topoke, DR Congo, Africa Iron Early 20th century 36 x 6 in. / 91 x 15 cm. Height on custom display stand: 38.25 in. / 97 cm. These big iron spear points were made by groups livi...

Sculpture, Lobi Male Figure with one hand pointing upwards, Burkina Faso. Mid/late-1900s. Height excl. base 13 cm. Total height 15 cm. Patina, signs of age. Provenance: Dealer and...

Important Yoruba CarvingWoman with an Offering Bowl, reputedly by 'The Omu Master' Rich Patina. Christies lot 33 11/28/84. Ex Donald Morris Gallery

Blessed by time, an early beautiful Yoruba female figure with baby riding on back, presenting an offering bowl in the form of a chicken with a removable top. Great Yoruba mother's face with scarifications and an excited baby. Areas of heavy wear, erosion and insect damage, especially to the two figures supporting the bowl, top of the chicken bowl...

Toraja Tribe wood ceremonial bowl, Sulawesi, Indonesia early 20th century. Dimensions: Diameter 19cm x Height 15.5cm.

Middle Eastern Bedouin women face veil, from the Bedouin tribes of the Sinai Desert. An amazing Niqab, Negev Bedouin veil from Palestine. Worked on a base of...

A genuine woven fiber basket from the Tutsi people, Rwanda and Burundi Early 20th century Fine basket, (Agaseke, Igiseke) miniature size, for prestige display and storing personal f...

Bronze Dan (also called Yakuba) bell, Cote d'Ivoire, circa 1960s. This Dan bell is made from the lost-wax process. It has a looped handle and stylized designs on the bell and around ...

African Statue 'Boli' Bambara Mali C1950 Zoomorphic altar statuette (Boli). Kono tribe. Provenance: Swedish private collection, inherited with the Fam...

Large Yoruba Ritual Shrine figure Abeokuta Nigeria African Tribal Art A rare exceptionally large male Cup bearer ritual shrine figure standing upright holding a cup in front carv...

Mid-20th century Tribal Zulu women's woven red cotton hat, Isicholo, from South Africa. The unusual spiral weave on this cotton Isicholo makes this a beautiful and rare example of t...

Carved wood dance mask from China with smiling expression, large square hat or headdress. Traces of many layers of paint, including red, blue, black and white pigments. Darkened pat...

From Papua New Guinea an early painted Maprik carved wood head sculpture or mask, intense expression showing teeth, and two opposing stylize...

A early 20th century wooden dancing shield of the Tutsi, Rwanda, painted with earth pigments The shield is in good condition with traces of tribal use Straight line height 30 cm, wid...

This early twentieth-century mask, from the Chokwe culture in Angola, displays unusual features. Carved from a light wood and decorated with yellow pigments, this fine mask exhibits ...

Dhokra art old ethnic tribal brass traditional ankle bracelet from India, repurposed as ashtrays ,catchall, or vide poche. Handcrafted of a hollow band of heavy brass decorated with chevron repoussé banding and lost wax granulation. The brass inner plate was later added to use the bracelet as a small ashtray. The closure was a push pin mechanism that was closed. India, circa 1920s. Measure: 7"5 D x 2" H. "Dhokra is an ancient folk art tradition prevalent in India in the eastern states of West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. Dhokra craft objects are made through the process of non-ferrous metal casting using the lost-wax casting technique, which is one of the earliest and most advanced methods of metal casting known to human civilization. Its roots can be traced back 4500 years to the ancient city of Mohenjodaro in the Indus Valley Civilization. The name Dokra or Dhokra was used to indicate a group of craftsmen of nomadic type from the Dhokra Damar tribe, scattered over the regions of Bengal, Orisa and Madhya Pradash, whose wares were identified by their beautifully shaped and decorated metal products. The enchanting Dhokra art objects have motifs inspired by indigenous folk...

A pair of wonderfully sculptural early 20th century handwoven wicker shields from the Tamberma people of Togo, mounted on custom steel stands.

Antique Ruband veils such as this example, which are hand-embroidered in silk on a cotton foundation, were used to cover the bride's face when she moved to the groom's house, as well...

Carved wood smaller dance mask from Nepal with powerful expression, open eyes and open mouth with carved teeth and fangs, representing the Buddhist Mahakala, the demon chaser. The to...

These large spiral brass earrings, crafted from a single thick brass wire are called 'Padung', a type of earring worn by the Batak Karo Tribe from northern Sumatra, Indonesia. This l...

Kutu Anklet-Ekonda culture, Democratic Republic of Congo. Puddle cast, forged and engraved copper alloy. The beautiful ankle cuff sculpture, is hand-forged, very heavy and a great tr...

This fine and early Bamileke mask, carved from a heavy hardwood, features a vibrant expression. The surface of the mask exhibits a deep, well-worn patina...

Superb and large brutalist trivet designed and created by the artist David Marshall in the 70s in Spain. bronze and aluminum structure. Rare design object that will decorate your int...

Yoruba people have one of the highest incidents of twin births in the world. As a result, twin children are regarded as extraordinary, divine beings protected by Sango, the deity of ...

Nice old Asian ritual festival mask Sri Lanka Ceylonese A pretty cool mask with smiling grimacing man painted with ochre Period early 20th century, from a UK collection. Condit...

A genuine statue from Papua New Guinea depicting a meternity (child on shoulders) The Sepik are a people who live along the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea. The peoples who bear the ...

Statues of Juju Man or shamans were used for ceremonies connected with religious beliefs and magical practices. The general understanding of their meaning as including a supernatural...

A pair of West African incised iron and copper wire axe form currency pieces. On custom mounts. In the form of a ritual axe, which in many parts of Africa was carried over the shoul...

Miao Tribe Interlaced & Massed Rings Silver Pectoral Necklace Miao Tribe, Northern Vietnam, Laos & Southwest China, Mid 20th Century An exquisite Miao Tribe Interlaced & Massed Ri...

A genuine mask hammered in copper from the Dinga / Ding tribe from the south of DR Congo Early 1900, but probably older This kind of anthropomorphic masks are called "ngongo munene"...

Africa, Bongo Peoples, stone female commemorative figure from Southern Sudan. A fine specimen in naturally weathered condition; hand carved from a porous orange-black stone, 20th century. Similar funerary stone sculptures in various sizes were likely crafted over many centuries. Original patina from appropriate age. A nice custom base included. Dimensions: 30 inches high and 9.5 inches wide and 8 inches deep mounted on a custom iron base. Provenance: Old Brussels, Belgium collection acquired in 1998. History: The Bongo are an ethnic group living in South Sudan, mostly in the Tonj District. They speak the Bongo language, one of the Bongo-Baka languages. Unlike the Dinka and other Nilotic groups, the Bongo are not a cattle herding people and do not use cows for bride price. Subsistence farming is the primary source of food, though money is obtained by working in forestry, building, selling honey, and other various means. For similar examples see Barakat Gallery...

20th century Japanese fishing basket. Beautifully woven with long rope handles. Handles extend approximately 2 feet past the top of the basket....

Group of four Toraja wood offering bowls, from Sulawesi, Indonesia with dark deep patina from use. Created from native hardwood and with horn rings in the center portion (except on t...

Carved hard wood dance mask from China with powerful expression, open eyes. Traces of many layers of paint, including red green black and white pigments. Ex- private collection in C...

Yoruba people have one of the highest incidents of twin births in the world. As a result, twin children are regarded as extraordinary, divine beings protected by Sango, the deity of ...

Early Ibibio standing carved wood male figure, powerful expression with hands on sides of stomach, exposed teeth and vertical raised scarification marks on sides of face. From a shr...

A framed Riga Gound from Nigeria. Elite Nigerian men wore grand, flowing garments known by various names: riga (Hausa), agbádá (Yorùbá), boubou (French), and mbubb (Wolof). This particular strip-woven riga features a off-white, very light grey tone with silk accents adding contrast. Skilled embroiderers—often trained in Arabic calligraphy—incorporated motifs once imbued with protective Islamic symbolism. Central to the textile is a leaf (gambiya) motif, linked to the Nupe people. A spiral design symbolizes the wearer’s spiritual journey toward God. The hem is lined with magenta silk, imported via trans-Saharan trade routes. Historically admired across cultures, the riga remains a cornerstone of pan-Nigerian male national dress today. This framed Riga Gound has a unique back story. Having owned a prominent antiques shop in Hong-Kong for more than two decades it was common for antique dealers to sometimes come to the shop and present items to sell...

Antique Ethnic Artifact Sepik River Cassowary Bone from Papua New Guinea For many groups in Papua New Guinea, bone was an important medium for making tools of all types. This artifact is made from leg bone of a cassowary, a large, flightless, and extremely dangerous, bird. Cassowaries also play an important role in the mythology of groups in the Sepik River area. Though no longer used these bone artifacts are still used ceremonially. They often play important roles in male initiation and other rituals. They are also worn as personal adornment by tucking them into a band of braided fibers worn around the upper arm. Antique Ethnic Bone Cassowary Artifact with minimal carving and incised design confined to the joint end. A small hole has been drilled through from both sides of the top and presumably for the threading of a cord. The bone has been partially divided near the top and to form two prongs that project down the back of the dagger possibly allowing the user to wear is tuck into a waist band or belt. Origin Papua New Guinea Maprik Dist Area From the Art Collection of Marian and John Scott, acquired in 1962. Similar items are in display in the Timothy S. Y. Lam Museum of Anthropology. Purchased from the amazing private collection of Mark Lissauer who spent his life collecting niche ethnographic pieces. About Mark Lissauer: Mark Lissauer spent forty years travelling abroad for months at a time collecting ethnographic artefacts primarily from New Guinea and the islands of the West Pacific, and from Asia and Himalayan countries. Fluent in five languages and having in the course of business travelled to more than forty countries, Mark is well-known to museums and art-collectors around the world for his long career and his interesting and diverse collection of rare ethnographic material. Mark knows the origin and symbolism of each piece. Through extensive research and more than ninety trips around the globe, Mark familiarised himself with the traditions of the various cultures he visited in order to understand the meaning of each object to its region and tribe. His home has a specialist library and several rooms are filled with tribal carvings, textiles and ethnographica. He acquired his first tribal piece in 1948 during a business trip to Milne Bay, New Guinea, and has since documented the acquisition of some 35,000 items. Several thousands of these have been sold to important private collections and museums worldwide, including the Rockefeller Museum, the British Museum and the Musée National des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie, now incorporated into the Louvre Museum. Estimator certificate of authenticity by Wayne Heathcote Tribal Art Dealer and Expert. Heathcote has a flash gallery in Brussels, where much of the tribal art business is centred, and is an expert at Sotheby's tribal art sale...

Tribal Early 20th Century Ceremonial Pipe, Bamoun People, Cameroon A ceremonial tobacco pipe fashioned of hardened clay depicting three bearded men, the center figure with arms on c...

This Ikat textile originates from the Island of Sumba, Indonesia. It is hand-woven using naturally dyed yarns via a method passed on through generations. ...

This striking piece of Samoan Tapa cloth speaks to the history of the South Pacific islanders who have made these beautiful barkcloth artworks for generations and with it's repeating...