Carved Tribal Art

This late nineteenth-century chair, from the Gindabarat in the Oromia region of Ethiopia, has been finely carved from a single piece of dense, heavy wood. The circular, narrow-in-siz...

A fine Baule female figure Standing leaning forward with serene expression with hands on abdomen Period: early 20th century Condition: Old Insect holes and minor damage Measures: H ...

Vintage African Tuareg Tea pot Mauritania Mid-20th century Tuareg teapot from Mauritania, Africa, Western Sahara. Handcrafted of pewter, copper and brass...

A Carved Ebony Prestige Staff Depicting an Important Elder or Leader wearing a Head-Ring ‘Isicoco’ His waistband neck-ring and eyes inlaid with brass studs, his hands carved to his s...

Sweet worn, polished and smoothed Kuba ceremonial serving platter with handle and incised Classic royal Kuba knot pattern on one side. Cra...

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...

This early twentieth-century miniature ladder, from the Dogon culture in Mali, replicates the form of full-size granary ladder, however, unlike its larger, practical counterparts, th...

A vintage carved ten leg tribal "Elephant" wood stool with a finely decorated top. The carved central star has a square in the middle and is framed by three different carved bands. T...

A palm wine cup from the Kuba Kingdom DR Congo with a beautiful tribal patina of use, late 19th century height 13 cm, Cup diameter 10.5 cm Good condition

An old carved wood handle from Nepal, North India or other Himalayan culture. A butter churn handle called a ghurra. Created in the early 20th century. The handle with finely carved...

An Exceptional Eastern Cape Nguni Pipe Bowl and Stem Wood, metal Old inscription and dated: ‘1892’ South Africa 19th Century Size: 45.5cm long - 18 ins long Published: ‘The ...

This early twentieth-century African Madonna figurative sculpture from the Makonde culture in southern Tanzania, close to the border of Mozambique, exhibits a wonderful sense of move...

A fine old Baule carving, with a rich golden brown surface patina.

These are early 20th century carved panels from Timor Island, they have been hand carved and feature a mix of human and animal figures. They also feature ceremonial tribal designs on...

This set of three early twentieth-century panels, from the Nupe culture in Nigeria, display a blend of beautiful decorative designs, carved in low relief against a plain background. ...

A splendid and rare Amazon indigenous wamara wood Macana war-club Southern-Guyana or Northern Brazil, Wapitxana group of the Aruak peoples, 18th century, possibly earlier Measure: H. 43 cm The deep patina of the club present, and the residue on the part where it was held, attest to its great age. This unusually large Macana is decorated with several incised whitened anthropomorphic and human figures, a decoration only found on one other documented club in the British Museum, which is illustrated in: Hjalmar Stolpe, Amazon Indian...

This finely carved Nyamwezi mask displays a powerful facial expression, with small rounded eyes and large ears, a long and slender nose, and an open mouth with inserted wooden teeth....

The Punu or Bapunu, are a Bantu meta-ethnicity of Central Africa, mainly in Gabon and a small population in Republic of Congo They are one of the four major people of Gabon, inhabiti...

Reminiscent of the Elemental sculpture of Constantin Brancusi, this Hardwood African Mortar and Pestle has a fantastic paper smooth age patin...

"Coconut Shell Carved Ritual Cup – Iatmul People, Sepik River, Png" Antique Carved Coconut Shell Ritual Bowl – Iatmul People, Sepik River...

A antique hand carved tribal carving from the Batak People, northern Sumatra, called a Singa Singa with traces of green and yellow polychromy and nicely weathered appearance. Attract...

Amazing and scarce JUDAICA object, we have here one of the most touching jewish objects we had for a long time, this small silver dowry box was made in Algeria in the early 19th century, it is all covered with symbols of jewish faith and of couples, the sliding lid has 2 flanking birds with hamsa (protective hand) on each side and a flower vase in the middle. one side shows two flanking lions with a tree in the middle and the other side shows again two big and two small birds with a flower bowl in the middle, front side has a key hole and next to it there is the Hebrew inscription ס״ט״" which says Siman tov or in English "a good sign" it is taken from the wedding blessing, underneath the lock there is another inscription with the name ״עזיזה בת אברהם בן חמו״ which is the name of the bride, her father and her grandfathers name. the box is full marked a lot of times with the silversmith mark, every side of the box is marked. this box was probably ordered by the grooms family to hold the jewelry they are giving to the bride as dowry, this type of objects are rare and there are just a few of them on museum collections. DOWRY (Heb. נְדֻנְיָה), the property a wife brings to her husband at marriage; the Yiddish equivalent, nadn, is from the same root. The custom of nedunyah became clearly defined and institutionalized only in the talmudic period. In biblical times, mohar (מֹהַר), whereby the groom bought his wife from her father (Gen. 24:53; Ex. 22:15–16; Hos. 3:2), was the accepted practice. It was then customary that the groom give the bride gifts, and that she bring certain property to her husband's home upon marriage: slaves, cattle, real estate, etc. (cf. Gen. 24:59–61; 29; Judg. 1:14ff.; I Kings 9:16). Evidence of the custom of nedunyah is to be found in Tobit (7:14; 8:21) and in the Assuan papyri (Cowley, Aramaic, nos. 15, 18). Gradually, mohar was superseded by the ketubbah custom according to which the husband merely assumed the responsibility of compensation to his wife in case he divorced her: he had to pay her 200 zuzim if she had been a virgin at the time of marriage, and 100 zuzim if a widow or divorcée (see *Ketubbah). By talmudic times, the institution of nedunyah was prevalent; the father gave a dowry to the bride since the daughter was excluded from paternal inheritance. Fifty zuzim (equivalent to the worth of 180 grams of silver) was the minimum amount a father was obliged to give to his daughter (Ket. 6:5). Parents usually gave much more, according to their social standing. Community funds provided the dowry for an orphan or a very poor girl (ibid.; cf. Sh. Ar., YD 251:8). In case of her father's death, the brothers of a minor girl were obliged to give her the minimum dowry, and the court estimated how much her father would have given her above the minimum dowry. The sum was then taken out of the father's estate and given to the daughter upon majority (Ket. 6:6; 68a–69b). In the absence of such an estimate, each daughter was entitled to receive one-tenth of the value of her father's estate in money, or in valuables (Yad, Ishut, 20:4–7; Sh. Ar., EH 113:4). If the father was unable or unwilling to pay the promised dowry at the betrothal ceremony, the groom could refuse to marry his bride (Ket. 13:5; Ket. 108b–109a). Insistence on exact payment of the promised dowry, however, was frowned upon by later rabbinic authorities (Rema to Sh. Ar., EH 2:1). In certain communities it was customary for the groom's father to make a dowry contribution equal to that of the bride's father (Ket. 102b). The dowry, whether given in real estate, slaves, money, or chattel was recorded in the marriage contract (the ketubbah) and in some instances one-third or one-fifth of the actual value of the dowry was added to the sum mentioned in the ketubbah. Based upon a decree enacted by *Simeon b. Shetah (first century C.E.), the Talmud ruled that the husband and his entire property were liable for compensation as stipulated in the ketubbah, either in case he died (when she collected the sum specified in the ketubbah from the heirs) or in case he divorced his wife (Ket. 82b). For the status of the dowry and the husband's rights and obligations, see below. The rabbinic enactments (Takkanot Shum) by R. Jacob *Tam and by the rabbinic synod of the communities of Speyer, Worms, and Mainz (Germany) stipulated that if a woman died...

Moroccan Berber tribal bracelet Moroccan tribal bracelet, cuff from the high atlas of Morocco. Handcrafted by Berber women using Moroc...

This large early Ashanti stool consists of an attractive support featuring a double-sided bird motif. The surface of the stool exhibits a rich, dark patina. Extensive use over the ...

A very old wooden make-up box Circa: early 20th century Origin: DR Congo from the Kuba tribe Material: wood, Condition of item: age appropriate wear. Very rich tribal patina 7 x ...

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

Early to mid century danced light wood round mask from the Yela or M'bole people, Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa. Finely carved mask with carved raised eyes and diagonal scarif...

Luba Female Figure (Kalundwe Style), Democratic Republic of Congo, Early 20th Century Height: 29 cm (11.4 in) Material: Wood, with rich patina of age Provenance: Ex-collection Alain...

A large teak wood bowl crafted on the island of Java, Indonesia. The bowl was cut from a much larger slab of teak wood and maintains an organic shape and ...

Moroccan Berber cable hand-carved with tribal African designs. Rectangular wooden coffee table hand-carved wit tribal designs by skilled Moroccan artisans in Marrakech. Dark brown ...

Balinese offering tray; "Dulangs" served two main purpose, one purpose was to carry offerings atop woman’s heads during ceremonies. The present "Dulang" was used exclusively in temples to display offerings and features hints of turquoise polychrome at its base. This "Dulang" has faded polychrome and chipped...

This beautifully carved title stool, from the Gogo culture in Tanzania, features a wonderful looped and adjoining structure. Dating back to the mid-twentieth century, this fine examp...

Dan carved wood prestige spoon or ladle, from the Dan people of Ivory Coast, West Africa. Spoons like this were used by the most prominent woman in the village as a sign of her powe...

An antique minimalist Inuit figurine, Alaska, carved steatite with a beautiful old original patina Early 1900 Height 8.5 cm, length 9 cm

A classical Mangbetu tribal chair, North Congo Carved from a single piece of wood, in good condition with tribal age and signs of use. Early 20th Century Tribal aged patina Height 17...

Small carved darkened wood bird faced mask with long nose/beak. Smaller squatting figure with curled arms carved on forehead. From Sepik River Area of Papua New Guinea. Signs of ...

This wooden headdress was created by the Yoruba People of western Nigeria, and was worn during a masquerade known as egungun. A widespread Yoruba ritual, egungun performances honor a...

An early to mid-20th century Toguna support post from the Dogon Tribe of Mali, on custom metal stand. This West African hand carved wooden bean was origin...

Fiji, probably early 20th century Polynesian culture is traditionally a culture of power and prestige, and there was a fine line between battle and ceremony. Warrior people par exce...

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

19th century small wooden/metal Mortar from Yemen/Saudi Border.

Vintage Wooden Totem Kwakiutl Eagle Cedar Wood. Early 20th Century hand carved cedar wood totem of a Kwakiutl eagle. It is created by a Native artist ...

This hand crafted and tribal engraved bowl originates from Nias Island Indonesia. It features tribal motifs along the rim and a beautiful hand hewn texture along its basin. It is cra...

Elegant, carved wood sculpture representing the human figure from Togo, Africa. A large, dramatic piece for a tribal art collection and creating a rare, unique and special presence.

Expressive, interesting African Baoulé mask from Cote d'Ivoire from last third of the last century, carved from wood painted polychrome. The face is narrow & elegant and has a though...

Papua New Guinea, 18th-19th century L. 22.5 x W. 18 cm (approx.) Provenance: Collected by Schulze-Westrum Collection Rinck Hollnberger, Munich (purchased in the 1980s or 1990s) For a comparable skull see the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The heads of humans and of animals such as crocodiles and pigs formerly played integral roles in the ceremonial life of Papuan Gulf peoples, who considered the heads to be vessels of life-giving supernatural power. Within men’s ceremonial houses, human skulls were displayed, together with sacred images such as spirit boards or gope, by the members of each clan in a specially constructed clan shrine. However, not all heads required the death of an enemy. In some areas, heads made from wood or other materials appear to have had powers equal to actual ones. In contrast to skulls, the facial features of wood heads were sometimes depicted as they appeared in life. This example comes from the Wapo Creek area, where wood heads appear to have been used interchangeably with actual skulls. When headhunting was abolished by Australian colonial...

Moroccan tribal Berber wooden sugar hammer. Handcrafted by the Berber women of Morocco, hand-carved wood with tribal design, this folk art instrument is a...

Early 20th century male baule figure, ivory coast, Africa A stylistically pleasing sculpture of a spiritual spouse (blolo bian) from the Baule culture....

Ligbi mask, with a protruding plate on the head engraved with decorative motifs. Highlights of blue pigments and kaolin enhance this small mask, satin black patina. The appearance is...

African mask. Mid 20th century. Carved wood. H 9-1/2" W 6-1/2"

Antique Moroccan tribal Folk Art Berber wool comb. 19th century, nice patina, Museum collector piece.

Baule Standing Female Figure with finely carved raised scarifications, hands on side of stomach with long figures. From Ivory Coast, Africa It is in good condition with wear, polis...

A Guere wood mask with paint and fiber remnant from We people displayed on a metal stand. The We people (also known as the Krahn or Guere) are an indigenous African people that inhabit areas in nowadays eastern Liberia and western Côte d'Ivoire. Their material culture shares many aspects with the neighboring Dan tribe. Like the Dans, the We use a wide variety of masquerades, which hold important regulatory position within their small, egalitarian communities. Masks are owned by families and used by individual lineage members in contexts of social control, ritual ceremony and entertainment. This type of Guere mask, however, has a distinct fearsome character. The ferocious design with jagged facial expression, bulging tubular eyes are intended for use in mediations between community members, as visual aids during moral lessons, as well as forms of entertainment. By portraying the more frightening nature of the animal, the mask is viewed as powerful and may have been used as part of social control methods prior to the introduction of Western law systems during the colonial period. The mask on offer, based on our examination, appears to be an original one that was used natively instead of reproduction made for the tourist market. The surface presents apparently genuine patina consistent with use. The red paint that highlights the eyes and gapping mouth also appear original. There are small losses flanking the nose ridge by the eyes, extensive surface accretion, remain of some fiber tassels. The back of the mask reveals chisel marks from hand tools and importantly, stain marks that were likely from repetitive contacts from the nose of the wearer. The mask is 9" in height, and it retains an old Sotheby’s catalog...

A rare Papua 'Gope' Spirit board from the Schulze Westrum collection New Guinea, Papua Gulf, probably Urama people, late 19th–early 20th century H. 114 x W. 27 cm Provenance: - Co...

An antique carved hardwood statue depicting a goddes with child on her arm The statue has a very rich aged using patina and traces This statue is dating from the 18th century but pro...

Note: This listing is for 1 of the Papa New Guinea Splash Boards featured, so if you decide to purchase, let us know which one you'd like. These decorative painted red and dark grey...

Sepik River Province, Papua New Guinea, probably late 19th century Tortoiseshell bracelets are frequently more than just ornaments in Sepik River civilizations; they are representat...

Bamana old original pair Chi Wara headdress. Chi Wara (Antelope Headdress.) The dry savanna permits no more than a subsistence economy and the soil produces,...

A rare Luluwa / Lulua / Bena Lulua Snuffbox/container, from the first half of the 20th century Tribal aged patina Small piece missing on the rigth foot, see pictures Height 15 cm

A brass tag was nailed to the back. This interesting and slightly shocking means of identification, tells us more about the artistic disdain and ethnographic interest of the Europea...