Sub-Saharan African Furniture

Forged bronze headdress or kind of crown/tiara "God of Thunder" which was used for protection. The size is slightly changeable, as the headdress bronze band is open on one side. Yoru...

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...

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 ...

A hand-carved wooden "Nupe stool", made by the Nupe People, a tribe who lives by the Niger River in Nigeria. This kind of 8-legged stool was used during important meetings or market...

A highly decorative African Lobi chair, crafted in Burkina Faso during the 1940s. This type of stool / chair was for individual use and marked the social ra...

A tall hand-carved statue of a dancer "Queen Dancer" crafted by the Egba People, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, circa 1950s. The statue is hand-carved in a rather rough way, not very...

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 ...

Nice antique woven rug, cover, with beautiful simple geometrical design and light colours, entirely hand woven with wool on wool foundation. ✨✨✨ "Experience the epitome of luxury an...

Nafana "Bedu" mask, from Southern Burkina Faso/Ivory Coast. Wood with natural earth pigments. Note the double faces, one with tubular eyes and mouth for the dancer and the larger a...

Carved wood Akuaba, sometimes known as an Ashanti doll or a Fanti doll. Untouched condition with a beautiful natural age-related patina. Akua'ba (sometim...

The standard protocol on many long carpets, as here, is to divide the field into four vertical panels with a small, here aligned, pattern of small triangles or lozenges. On this carp...

This all-natural flatwoven reed carpet is made by bundling up local reeds in golden tan, and adding shorter brown reeds to make double triangles and other lesser, similar geometric d...

Spectacular and unique dining set Marc van Rampelberg born in Belgium 1949 Oval dining table and eight chairs, Kenya, 1980s, similar to teak (muninga wood) chairs ht. 33 1/2, seat ...

Terracotta African Canari Vessel with Serpent Detail. Cote D’Ivoire, circa 1960.

So as not to muss their intricate hairstyles, tribal leaders would rest their heads on these petite wooden stands. The combination of conic base and concave rest gives these function...

Beautiful Coco de Mer, Coco de Fesses or Coco D'Amour from the Seychelles Islands in particular from Isle Pralin, this iconic nut has a great warm color and shine, it has its symmetr...

The oatmeal beige field is vertically divided into four wider and slightly narrower panels, uniformly decorated with subtle, floating small open lozenges. Sienna brown is manifested ...

A well-loved traditional stool or seat from the Akan people of Ghana. The supports for Akan stools take many forms, they can be purely geometric or architectural with simple posts a...

Rare mid century Lobi folk tribal art female figure wooden sculpture produced in Burkina Faso, Africa by anonymous designer in the 1940s. In good original condition. Dimensions: H:...

This beak and feet of this mount have a wonderful patina and feathers have been cleaned. Pelicans are large water birds characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used fo...

Early 20th century african elephant, tiger and woman rider varnished wood sculpture signed by J. Zanetti By: J. Zanetti Material: wood Technique: carved, hand-carved, hand-crafted, varnished, polished Dimensions: 12.5 in x 5 in x 12.5 in Date: early 20th century, 1936 Style: Art Déco Place of origin: South Africa This expressive early 20th century wood sculpture signed by J. Zanetti depicts an elephant mid-stride, a tiger resting below, and a nude female rider in an animated pose. Carved from richly grained, varnished wood, the figures are captured in motion, the elephant's legs striding forward. Seated atop the elephant, the woman's swirling coiffure and outstretched arm convey a sense of vitality and farewell. The energetic composition and Art Déco stylization reflect early 20th century african Modernism...

Mask 'Kanaga' Dogon tribe, Mali Circa 1950 Provenance: Swedish private collection, from the 1970s. Then inherited within the family One of the most popular types of masks in the Sang...

The technique of binding reeds allows for vertical patterning and essentially no end borders. As here, the patterns of conjoint triangles and triples of rectangles, are executed in d...

Rugs can be made out of virtually any available flexible material. Here the Tuareg tribesmen utilize riverbank reds in shades of brown and tan, to create a vertically striped piece w...

Set of four Africal Modernist chairs designed by John Tabraham for Kallenbach’s, a firm founded in the early 20th century by the noted architect Herman Kallenbach, who was also a clo...

River reeds are bound together to create this attractive, tribal flatweave. Light tan reeds comprise the ground while three echelons of diamond chains in darker browns run across the...

African mask “Kuba Babuka” in wood and pigments held by a rope. Work from the Democratic Republic of Congo realized in the 20th century.

A strikingly minimalist composition of just four creamy beige reed panels, each enclosing three nested, floating tall lozenges, defines this tribal carpet detailed in shades of sienn...

One advantage of reed rugs is that they can be rolled up easily and are lightweight, hence perfect to nomadic tribesfolk. Here the creamy beige reedwork field is vertically divided i...

Knife painting involves using a palette knife instead of a brush to apply the paint, as in the case of this oil painting. In the context of a seascape at sunset, this technique adds ...

"Residing in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kuba people are true artisans whose craftsmanship fueled traditional rituals, performances, and storytelling. Natural materials, in...

Senufo bench carved in a single piece of wood. Origin Ivory Coast. African handicraft. Nice patina. LP625

Residing in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kuba people are true artisans whose craftsmanship fueled traditional rituals, performances, and storytelling. Natural materials, in this case cowrie shells, hold a long history of use in African art often associated with beauty and spirituality. The Bwoom mask...

The stool was loved by its owner, repaired in several places with decorated metal straps. It has an openwork, tiered lattice central post and four support posts. It has the older sty...

Splendid Kpélié Mask, Sénoufo population, Ivory Coast 1950 Kpélié Mask, wood covered with copper Dimensions 36.5 x 14.5 cm / 14.17 x 5.51 inches The populations speaking the Sénouf...

Very beautiful and well-preserved vintage terracotta vessel with removable lid from the Congo region, Bakongo ethnic group. The fine decoration is partly engraved, but also modeled ...

The carpets of the Tuareg, who are cattle herding nomads inhabiting a vast expanse of the Sahara desert, are among the most exciting group of weavings to appear on the market. These ...

Created in the early to mid-20th century, by an anonymous artist of the Akan people of Ghana, probably Ashanti (Asante) or Fanti (Fante). What separates this stool from the standard ...

Splendid Seven rams Ntomo Mask, Bamana Population, Mali, 1930-1940 Seven Rams Ntomo Mask, Ségou region, Mali, Wood, cowrie shells, reptile skin. Dimensions: 61.5 cm / 24.02 inches. ...

A good example of an African Ashanti tribal headrest. Ghana. Early to mid-twentieth century.

Original vintage Africa travel poster for Zimbabwe Southern Rhodesia featuring a stunning scenic view by William George Bevington (1881-1953) depicting rocks and the ruins of the anc...

In cedar wood. An African carved wooden stool having a curved seat raised on two intertwined carved wooden supports with a thin plinth base. Ghanaian tradition explains that the cen...

Decorative Grassland Leopard skin Mask Private collection Brussels The raffia splint is covered with cloth and colourful miniature glass beads in vario...

Married Woman’s Beaded Apron Jocolo Ndebele People, South Africa Circa 1940-1950 Glass beads on leather (goatskin ?), handcart brass beads In excellent condition

The Kuba cloth (velours du kasai) is a captivating piece of textile art hailing from the Kasai Region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Crafted by hand in the 1960s, this Kuba cloth wall hanging is a testament to the rich cultural heritage and artistic traditions of the Kuba people. The textile features a meticulous process of handweaving and embroidery using raffia palm fibers, showcasing intricate geometric patterns. The use of natural pigments in the dyeing process adds an earthy and authentic touch to the piece. As a vintage item, this Kuba Cloth is not only a stunning decorative element but also a tangible link to the past, carrying with it the history and craftsmanship of the Kuba people. Its authenticity is underscored by the fact that each Kuba cloth is one of a kind, reflecting the unique artistic expression of the weaver. Whether displayed as a wall hanging, used as a textile accent, or incorporated into interior design, the Kuba cloth invites a sense of cultural richness and historical significance. Embrace the beauty of this vintage, authentic artifact...

Two Songye dolls, reductions of the ritual costume of the masked dancers, painted wooden head and body covered with animal skin, feathers and braided fibers. Private collection Brus...

Ethiopian and other African-influenced furniture had been made from the 1850s, the most famous being Adolf Loos's "Theban stool" designed around 1903 in t...

Circa 1960s hand carved side table by the Nupe people of Nigeria. Dark, dense wood has been hand carved from one solid piece. Four thick rounded and tapered legs with open lattice wo...

Cansado is a mining town built in the 1960s by the Mauritanian Iron Mines Company "MIFERMA" to house its staff. Part of the furniture was designed by Charlotte Perriand between 1959 and 1967. This desk boasts a sleek design, with mahogany veneer structure and three drawers. Base in black lacquered metal. Perriand was one of the most influential designers of the 20th century and was known for her modernist approach to furniture design. She was a pioneer of the use of industrial materials and techniques in furniture design, which allowed her to create innovative and functional pieces that were both affordable and stylish. Manufacturer. Steph Simon...

Set of three stone carved women each bearing a water vessel in their arms. This art form from Zimbabwe became popular decor in the late 1950s but was producded for decades preceding ...

This ceremonial African mask is linked to the Salampasu people of the Bantu ethnic group located primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Salampasu masks...

African Batik Cloth Natural Hand-woven Hand-Printed Cotton Fabric Ghana 10 yards. Colors are organic earth tone beige and light brown in geometric design. Non waxed fabric circa 1950s. Hand made in Ghana Africa. Museum Quality Original Long Piece. 380 inches, (30 ft 10 yards Long) x 46 inches Inches Wide( 4ft). Could be use to make pillows or upholstery. History of Batik in Africa: Batik, a traditional fabric art technique, has a rich history in Ghana, West Africa. The practice of batik involves using wax to create intricate patterns on fabric, which is then dyed to achieve the desired design. While batik has its origins in Asia, particularly in Indonesia, it has been embraced and adapted by various African countries, including Ghana. In Ghana, batik-making can be traced back to the mid-20th century when it gained popularity as a form of traditional textile art. The craft was introduced by artists and artisans who were inspired by the vibrant and expressive nature of batik. These early practitioners experimented with different designs, colors, and patterns, infusing local themes and motifs into their creations. Over time, batik became an important part of Ghanaian culture and identity. It is not only used for clothing but also for various decorative and functional items such as wall hangings, tablecloths, and accessories. The art form often reflects the rich cultural heritage of Ghana, incorporating symbols, proverbs, and traditional stories into the designs. Ghanaian batik artists often employ a combination of traditional and contemporary elements, creating a unique fusion of styles. The process of making batik involves applying hot wax to the fabric using various tools to create the desired patterns. The wax acts as a resist, preventing dye from penetrating the waxed areas. After dyeing, the wax is removed, revealing the intricate designs on the fabric. Today, batik-making in Ghana continues to thrive as both a traditional craft and a form of artistic expression. Many artisans and designers draw inspiration from Ghana's diverse cultural landscape, incorporating elements from different regions and ethnic groups into their batik creations. The art form has also gained international recognition, with Ghanaian batik products being sought after both locally and abroad. In summary, the history of batik in Ghana is a testament to the creativity and adaptability of artists who have embraced and transformed this traditional technique into a vibrant and culturally significant art form within the country. HISTORY OF BATIK In the mid-nineteenth century, the Belanda Hitam, or "Black Dutchmen," are said to have introduced batik to West Africa after serving as indentured soldiers for the Dutch in Indonesia. Returning from their conscriptions with trunks of fine Javanese batik, the opulent patterns captured the imagination of their friends and relatives. However, textile history is complex, and only a handful of recruits returned to West Africa with batik due to delayed payments. Batik, with roots traced to Egyptian mummies, is a tradition found globally, from Southeast Asia to Japan and India. Europeans, particularly the Dutch, played a significant role in industrializing batik from the seventeenth century onward. In West Africa, Dutch Scholar Ineke van Kessel suggests that batik arrived from India over trans-Saharan routes. Local populations, like the Yoruba in Nigeria, incorporated wax printing into their textiles. European traders brought wax and non-wax fabrics to West Africa in the seventeenth century, targeting a population ready for their consumption. European designers adapted prints for the African market...

Cubist Dogon carved wood Antelope mask with attached raffia, from Mali West Africa. Tall vertical eyes, small slit mouth. Pair of carved curved blackened...

Geometric Barmbara Sukuru Animal Mask with horns, teeth, Mali, West Africa. Inserted wood teeth, abstract face with open eyes, raised eyebrows and framed face. Old native repair wi...

A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king...

These authentic wood milk containers from Rwanda can be traced to the Tutsi people, an ethnic group of the African Great Lakes region. From the 15th cen...

A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king...

A rare imported commodity, glass beads have been a symbol of wealth and importance in south African cultures for centuries, and were exclusively distributed by the region's oba (king...