A glass bead decorated gourd from the Maasai people in Kenya. This type of gourd is used traditionally for the mixture of milk and blood that is a staple of the Maasai diet. Early 20th century.
Approximately 24 cm long. In fine condition. Noted are half a dozen insect holes in the lid, these are old and mostly filled in...
H. 9 cm. Mid 20th century or a bit older.
For a similar spoon see the screenshot of the Van Rijn Archive.
Depicting a female spouse figure ‘Blolo Bla’. H. 13 cm.
first half of the 20th century. Great age wear and patina.
Ex coll. Maine Durieu, Paris.
The Baule believe a person is married to both an earthly and a spirit spouse. This sculpture honored its owner’s spirit partner to bring peace, luck, and money. Scarifications on her face and body individualized and enhanced her idealized beauty...
Caryatid stool with a sitting female figure. Hardwood, h. 26 cm, diameter 23 cm. First half of the 20th century.
minor repair to one leg. The earrings have been replaced.
Provenance:
Donald Taitt, Paris,
Aponem Auction, 2019,
J.M. Desaive, Herve, Belgium
With a great offering patina. H. 16,5 cm. Mid 20th century or older.
Ex Galerie Maine Durieu, Paris
Old Baule (Baoule) Colonial Period carved wood sculpture of a maternity figure or spirit spouse (Blolo Bla). With elaborate hair and ringed neck. Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire). Pre 1950. Approximately 18” tall.
Baule maternity, Côte d’Ivoire.
Made for sale by a traditional Baule carver in the 1920’s-30’s.
According to Guy van Rijn there were two workshops in those days, where traditional Baule carvers produced objects for commercial purposes.
H. 44 cm. Left hand missing, right arm repaired.
Ex Dutch private collection, ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
Lovely small bird fetish from the early to mid 20th century.
H. 24 cm.
Ex Jean-Marc Desaive, Belgium,
Ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague, The Netherlands,
Ex Berry de Bruijn, Hilvarenbeek, The Netherlands.
Benue Plateau, mid 20th century. H. 40 cm.
Ex Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam.
Ex Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg, March 2014.
The Djompre are a small ethnic group with their homeland in the Benue Plateau State in northern Nigeria. They call themselves Kutep or Kutev, the denomination Djombre - which means cannibals - has probably been given to them by the neighbouring Chamba.
Very large doll made by a known carver. H. 40,5 cm. Second quarter of the 20th century. Condition: both arms reattached. Lovely honey brown patina. The style of this Akuaba with its unusual coiffure is described in the book ‘Akua’ba Asante Wednesday Child’ by Ron van Doorn and Herbert M. Cole.
Provenance: Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam. (Vetter at Parcours des Mondes, Paris).
An African helmet mask decorated with glass beadwork from Bamum/Yoruba tribe, Cameroon. With a bird effigy. Circa 1940.
Two females from the Egba sub group of the Yoruba’s. H. 23 cm. First half of the 20th century. Ex French private collection. Condition: old insect damage and some old repairs to the ears of one of the figures.
Anthropomorphic Lega mask from the Kievu & Maniema region in Eastern Congo. H. 22 cm.
First half of the 20th century.
Provenance:
Hans Petereit, Cologne, Germany
Fily Keita, Los Angeles, USA
Michel Boulanger, Liège, Belgium
Goldfield Auctions, Luxembourg, 27 June 2021, Lot 105.
Guy van Rijn archive: ao-0186890-001
Tugubele figures represent helpful bush spirits. The belong to the local ritual expert of the Senufo people, assisting them with their oracles and predictions.
This figure dates from the first half of the 20th century and shows good signs of use.
Provenance:
André Vanhecke, Belgium,
Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
Hardwood, first half 20th century. H. 18 cm. Old insect damage. Ex private collection Belgium, collected in Abidjan in 1968.
An African Mali ceremonial mask. Hand carved with applied brass strips and cowlry shells. Beautiful patina, it measures 15" high x 9" across x 5".
Bamana Sukun mask
First half 20th century.
Parts of the ears and a kind of horn on the forehead are missing.
Traces of polichromy.
Rare mask with great age!
Ex Swiss private collection.
H. 40 cm
Stand included.
Antique, first half of the 20th century, African Tribal throwing knife with hand-forged iron blade of elaborated form adorned on each face with a scored pattern, mounted in hand-carved bulbous wooden handle.
The custom-made metal display stand is included...
Kuba figure, a workshop piece from ca. 1920-1940.
This sculpture is typical for the Ecole de Mushengé. This was a school for crafts in the Kuba capital founded by Belgian missionaries, the Josephite fathers from Ghent. The numbers at the bottom confirm this. It represents a nobleman. H. 27 cm.
A great example of early commercial carving.
Provenance: a Dutch family by descend from their grandparents who lived in Congo.
From our African Collection: A Igbo Pipe Smoker Figure from Southeastern Nigeria. Circa 1940. 9" x 30" h. Extremely rare and in great condition.
From our African Collection: An Yoruba Maternity Cult Figure from Nigeria, circa 1940. Base 12 x 12", 24" high.
he Yoruba people (Yoruba: Ìran Yorùbá) are an ethnic group that inhabits western Africa, mainly the countries of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The Yoruba constitute around 30 million people in Africa. The vast majority of the Yoruba population is from Nigeria, where the Yoruba make up 13.9% of the country's population, making them one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa...
From our African Collection: A Makonde Legionnaire from Tanzania, circa 1940. 12" wide at center, 52" tall.
The Makonde are an ethnic group in southeast Tanzania, northern Mozambique, and Kenya. The Makonde developed their culture on the Mueda Plateau in Mozambique...
Very old Dan mask with circular eyes, protruding forehead, long thin nose, protruding lips, small chin. This mask is of the "gunyeya" type, and was used during the running competitions which were organised to train men to run and fight. It is made of wood, with a fine dark brown glossy patina. Its height: 19.8 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Africa, Ivory Coast/Liberia, first half of 20th century. Obvious signs of use and age, otherwise very good condition.
Very rare bronze quiver with four arrows, (their heads made of iron and shafts made of bamboo). The quiver is nicely decorated with geometric designs in relief and leather covers, with a nice reddish-green patina on the bronze. Dimensions: 54 cm long for the quiver and 40 cm long for the arrows. Cameroon, Kirdi ethnic group. Very good condition. NOTE: acquired in 1970 in North West Cameroon.
First half of the 20th century. H. 56 cm.
Ex Lucas Ratton, Paris.
Ex Jan Kusters, Eindhoven.
Ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
Custom made stand included.
A small cast brass figurative weight of a man with a walking stick carrying a powder keg on his head. These weights were used by goldsmiths for weighing gold dust. This weight is of the Akan peoples of Ghana known as Ashani. Measures about 2.75 inches high. Dates early 20th century
From our African Collection: A Burkino Faso Flying Wing Shield, circa 1940. 24 x 72"
Many of the ancient artistic traditions for which Africa is so well known have been preserved in Burkina Faso because so many people continue to honor the ancestral spirits, and the spirits of nature. In great part they honor the spirits through the use of masks and carved figures.
The history of Burkina Faso is dominated by its largest ethnic group, the Mossi peoples...
Large door lock, representing a standing female. The face expressing a great severity, is framed by a beautiful crenellated hair.
Hardwood. Old patina of use.
From Bambara tribes Mali
From our African Art Collection: An Akan figuring holding an Ashanti Stool, the figure has distinguishable tribal markings on its cheeks.
"The Akan (/ˈækæn/) are a meta-ethnicity living in the countries of present-day Ghana and Ivory Coast...
Antique African Copper Bronze seated King or Oba with Rifle attributed to the Kongo peoples, Yombe group . Very well done near portrait bronze figure of probably a king holding a flint lock rifle seated in a very well made egg shaped chair. Size h 5" d 3.75" d 3.5"
From our Collection: Nigerian Bust from the Kingdo of Ife from the 20th century. 4" w, 19" h.
Ife is an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria. The city is located in present-day Osun State. Ife is about 218 kilometers northeast of Lagos with a population of 509,813...
Important masks representing a hyena head, H 36
From a well known french collection
More information on Request
Interesting Yoruba figure from Eshu cult
Bottom is damaged otherwise the figure is safe
H 62 cm
more information on request
Antique African Ebony sculpture of a village woman.
Nice carving with good details. Probably early 20th c
Size 10.5"
19-20thc Uganda triple spout pot Ganda magic drinking Ndawula Walumbe Bamweyana Nakaima Muwanga. This rare pot was for ceremonial use and said to be for medicated beer. Probably early 20th c beautiful blackish burnished finish and cord impressed banding around the 3 spouts. Some slight scuffs to spout lip as well as lighter colored grey around rims though does not seem to be damage. No cracks quite heavy for the size comes with no stand.
Weight 3.8 h 8" w 7"
This 11" fetish is carved from a dark ebony colored work and has no paint work. The poultice sacks on the body are in excellent condition. Very beautiful, very desirable.