Nigerian Furniture

Gelede festivals honor the creative and dangerous power of women elders, female ancestors and goddesses known as "our mothers". The Gelede headdress often consists of two parts, a lo...

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 ...

Time honored texture and form define this Nigerian copper sculptural object. The intricate geometry was achieved through a process known as scarification. The artisan would meticulou...

Moses Unokwah (Nigeria, b.1964) Mai Molo, 1993 foil relief edition 9/45 signed lower right sight: 7½ by 31 inches frame: 10½ by 34 inches This sculpted foil relief from Nigeri...

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 ...

Moses Unokwah (Nigeria, b.1964) Mirrows and Combs, 1993 foil relief edition 8/40 signed lower right sight: 24½ by 31 inches frame: 26½ by 34 inches This sculpted foil relief f...

Gelede festivals honour the creative and dangerous power of women elders, female ancestors and goddesses known as "our mothers". The Gelede headdress often consists of two parts, a lower mask and an upper elaborate superstructure. The lower mask depicts a woman's face, it's composure expressing the qualities of calmness and patience. The numbers are the inventory numbers from Penn State University and Lehigh University. Exhibited: The Pennsylvania State University - Museum of Art permanent collection; The Lehigh University - Art Galleries permanent collection. Provenance: The collection of Dr and Mrs John E. Swanson. Dr John Swanson and his wife Marian lived from 1966 - 1981 in Lagos, Nigeria where Dr Swanson was the Advisor to the National Universities Commission and later on the Chief Planning Officer of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. During their time in Africa the Swansons started to collect African art. In 1973 a part of their collection, circa 120 pieces went on loan to The Pennsylvania State University Museum of Art, where the remained until 1978. In 1981 Dr Swanson passed away and his wife Marian never returned to Africa. In 1982 Mrs Swanson lent 130 pieces to the Lehigh University Art Gallery where they remained until 1987. A few pieces were also lent to Lafayette College...

Tribal African Igbo Agbogo mwo mask This African Igbo mask, known as a "young girl", is decorated with a tangle of thick braids and fulfils the mos...

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 ...

Hand dyed Yoruba (Nigeria) cloth from the Esie area, 1950s.

Terracotta head remnant on tapered wood base

Hand carved with a figurative design, this TOTEM-like wooden post was crafted by an artisan of the Yoruba peoples of Nigeria. Resembling the tall houseposts used to support the roof of a home, this shorter post would have been placed on a veranda courtyard as a symbolic and decorative element and did not bear weight. This veranda post...

Contemporary Rug by Doris Leslie Blau Size: 5'0" × 7'0" (152 × 213 cm) A contemporary, geometric, hand-knotted silk and wool rug designed by Kim Alexandriuk. The rug is rendered in b...

The traditional form of the Senufo currency bracelet is stripped down in this more minimalistic version. Two gracefully upswept bands join to form a ...

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, these iron...

This captivating vintage African helmet mask is a masterful example of tribal folk art and hand-carved craftsmanship. Drawing influence from the ce...

A striking expression of pre-colonial value systems, this Igbo iron currency knife from southeastern Nigeria operates at the intersection of economy, ritual, and sculpture. Forged by...

A sculptural iron throwing knife attributed to the Marghi, Mofu, or Kapsiki peoples of northeastern Nigeria and northern Cameroon. Known broadly as a hunga munga, this form transcend...

Antique hand-carved African couple sculpture 1940s - Private Collection Domenico Rugiano

This Piece is very primitive. Its a mid to early 20th century piece. Its carved from Ebony ironwood and depicts a woman kneeling. It was made in Nigeria.. The carving is very detailed.

Igbo mask, Nigeria, circa 1990. Igbo masks form a significant and striking role in their culture, featured in dances and ceremonies as part of an elaborate costume. The mask itself a...

This sculpture is from West Africa. It depicts a Yoruba woman kneeling. It was made in Nigeria.

Yoruba Egba, couple of Ere Ibeji Twin Figures signed by Akinyode ,Yoruba People, Nigeria Abeokuta Provenance Monique Lancée (Maastricht '80)

An impressive and seldom Nigerian large basket garment and cover, with dyed patterned band. Those baskets where used to preserve grains. Tall colorful handwoven lidded basket from ...

Attributed to the Yoruba people of western Nigeria, this wooden headdress was worn during a masquerade known as egungun. A widespread Yoruba ritual, egungun performances honor a comm...

Anang/Ibibio Ekpo cult Ancestor dance Mask , Anang/Ibibio People ,Nigeria Maud et René Garcia Paris-Harrie Heinemans Collection Museum Berg & Dal-1984 Martin Lagrain AHDRC ao-...

Stylized sculpture by R.Mteki.

Lakin Ogunbanwo (b. 1987, Lagos, Nigeria) is a Nigerian photographer renowned for his evocative portraits that blend fashion photography with classical portraiture. His work is chara...

Beautifully crafted dager from Nigeria (Haussa People) with an organic handle. Hausa people are frond in northwestern Nigeria and adjacent southern Ni...

Ibo hardwood Ikenga Altar Statue documented Van Lier provenance,Ibo People, Nigeria. before 1959 Kunsthandel Van Lier (documented)-1959 Volkskundig museu...

With one of the highest rates of twin births in the world, Yoruba cultures place special social and religious significance on twins, referred to as "emi alagbara" or "powerful spirit...

This four-sided brass face bell, known as omo, was created by an artisan of the Ijebu Yoruba People of Southern Nigeria. A mark of the wearer's rank and power, the bell would have be...

The Nupe people of Nigeria were touted as some of the finest ceramicists in Africa. Everyday objects, like this elegant, cylindrical vessel support, received detailed attention. This flaring terra cotta form would have been buried halfway in the ground, in a Nupe home, and used as a stable base for a stack of traditional round pots...

This painted mask was created by the Yoruba People of western Nigeria, and was worn during a tradition known as Gelede. A blend of ritual and artistic spectacle, Gelede pays homage to the women of their Community, understood to possess spiritual powers capable of the benefit or the destruction of society. The Gelede masquerade is an opportunity to honor or condemn behaviors within the Community, through dance, art, satire, and poetry. Worn by veiled dancers, Gelede masks...

Used as forms of currency, they could also serve as a musical or ritual object. Displayed on a custom mount.

Experience the beauty and authenticity of a 19th Century Nigerian Igbo Mask, a true cultural treasure. This stunning piece features intricate carvings and striking facial features th...

Gelede festivals honor the creative and dangerous power of women elders, female ancestors and goddesses known as "our mothers". The Gelede headdress often consists of two parts, a lo...

Idoma Ibo Female Figure. Africa, Nigeria 20th century or earlier. A seated female figure on a stool smoking a long pipe with painted with pigments and adorned with scarification mar...

A fine Idoma Headdress, ungulali, rising from a flaring conical base with holes around the rim for attachment, the first tier of three stylized faces with tapering chins, parted lips...

The Nupe people of Nigeria were known as some of the finest ceramicists in Africa. Everyday objects, like this storage vessel, received detailed attenti...

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 ...

Before coinage became standardized across West and Central Africa, wealth was often held in iron. In parts of present-day northeastern Nigeria and northern Cameroon, highly forged th...

Jukun Commemorative Royal Ancestor Figure, Jukun People, Northeastern Nigeria. Provenance Martial bronsin 2009 Native 2012 - Martin Lagrain AHDRC ao-0096159-001,002,003 The figure is depicted standing, bearded, with a tribal skull...

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 ...

A monumental and powerfully carved Yoruba figural ritual vessel from Nigeria, dating to the mid-20th century. This striking sculptural work depicts a standing male figure supporting ...

A striking example of West African material culture, this Igbo iron currency knife from Nigeria embodies the intersection of economy, artistry, and ritual within traditional African societies. Before the widespread adoption of coinage and paper money, many regions across Africa used forms of metal currency—objects whose intrinsic material value, craftsmanship, and symbolic form made them widely accepted as units of exchange. Among the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, iron currency objects such as knives, rods, and bracelets circulated not only as mediums of trade but also as markers of wealth, social status, and ceremonial exchange. This particular form—often referred to as a currency knife—features an elegantly curved profile with a tapering blade-like extension and finely incised surface decoration. Forged and hand-carved from iron, the piece demonstrates the remarkable skill of traditional blacksmiths, whose work held both practical and spiritual significance in Igbo culture. The etched geometric motifs along the surface speak to a visual language of craftsmanship passed through generations, transforming what was once a utilitarian object into a sculptural artifact rich with cultural meaning. Mounted on a custom-made platform for display, the piece now reads as a refined sculptural object. Its weathered iron patina, subtle textural variations, and dynamic crescent silhouette give it a commanding presence—equally compelling as a collectible ethnographic artifact or as a distinctive decorative accent in a contemporary interior. Today, objects like this Igbo currency...

Decorative Folk Art hand-carved hardwood crocodile, with lots of details in the carving. Nigeria, circa 1970s.

Blacked wood helmet mask (Gelede), large human head surmounted by a dog eating a snake which curves around the head. No perforation for attachment to costu...

Carved wooden kola nut holder, depicting a woman carrying a baby in a papoose and holding a bowl overhead, from Abeokuta, Nigeria, 1950s There is a small...

An Epa helmet mask, Nigeria, Africa. Fully carved mother and child; painted red and black with touches of white; Provenance: The Children's Museum of Indianapolis; The Eiteljorg Mu...

Carved wooden sculpture depicting a woman sacrificing holding an offering bowl, Yoruba People, Nigeria, 1940s There is a small old chip on the top, please refer to the photos. The numbers are the inventory numbers from Pennsylvania State University and Lehigh University. Exhibited: The Pennsylvania State University - Museum of Art permanent collection; The Lehigh University - Art Galleries permanent collection and the Provenance: The collection of Dr and Mrs. John E. Swanson. Dr John Swanson and his wife Marian lived from 1966 - 1981 in Lagos, Nigeria where Dr Swanson was the Advisor to the National Universities Commission and later on the Chief Planning Officer of the University Of Ibadan, Nigeria. During their time in Africa the Swansons started to collect African art. In 1973 a part of their collection, circa 120 pieces went on loan to The Pennsylvania State University Museum of Art, where they remained until 1978. In 1981 Dr Swanson passed away and his wife Marian never returned to Africa. In 1982 Mrs. Swanson lent 130 pieces to the Lehigh University Art Gallery where they remained until 1987. A few pieces were also lent to Lafayette College...

Gelede festivals honor the creative and dangerous power of women elders, female ancestors and goddesses known as "our mothers". The Gelede headdress often consists of two parts, a lo...

Terracotta head remnant on tapered wood base

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 ...

Lakin Ogunbanwo (b. 1987, Lagos, Nigeria) is a Nigerian photographer renowned for his evocative portraits that blend fashion photography with classical portraiture. His work is chara...

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 ...

A finely carved significant Yoruba Male Ibeji figure with a tall headdress, expressive eyes, original bead belt and heavy wear and polish from native use. Areas of encrusted camwood ...

The Afo Bridal Currency was used in Nigeria until the early 1940s. This is also known as a "Chenkrom." Now mounted on a bronze stand.

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 ...

Large carved wooden spoon in the shape of a standing female figure, with a round bowl over her head, Yoruba People, circa 1960s. The numbers are the inventory numbers from Penn Stat...