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LOT 2370
African Brass Manilla Slave Bracelet
OKOMBO TRIBE, LATE 19TH-EARLY 20TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/8 in. (248 grams, 10.5 cm).
Penannular in profile and round in section with integral pellet and wire detailing. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom Nigeria, West Africa.
From an old Derby, UK, specialist collection.
From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Also known as okpoho, Okombo or abi. Once a form of currency for West African peoples, manillas became one of the main currencies of choice during the slave trade to the Americas. Their usage during this time in history was of such prevalence that they were often referred to as “slave trade money.” The Manilla is in very good condition and measures 105mm wide and weighs about 250gms. Manillas are typically horse shoe-shaped with flared ends and often decorated with balls on each end. Africans from each region had names for each variety of manilla and were very particular about the types they would accept. They valued the Manillas by the sound they made when struck and used them as the dominant form of currency for many things including everyday market purchases, bride price and burials. The main purpose of the manilla – the trading and purchase of slaves- fostered a system where the incoming voyage of Europeans took manillas to West Africa to obtain slaves, who were then taken to the Americas. The price of a slave valued in manillas varied depending on the time, place and type being offered.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Funerary peg head with bald scalp, delicate facial features with grooves delineating the piercing eyes and shallow lips; below the neck a cylindrical protrusion to be slotted into the carving of its body, commemorating a deceased person. 780 grams, 35 cm
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African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
Lega Warega Tribe, early 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
Teardrop-shaped in plan with two scooped facets, slit eyes; pierced around the edge for attachment. 57 grams, 14.7 cm
From Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa. From the Estate of Dr J Bynon; acquired 22 February 1914. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Most of Lega masks are sculptures of a human face that are rarely worn over the face and never for purposes of true transformation. The Lega masks can be assigned different uses and meanings depending on the context of the performance. In Bwami ceremonies, masks are attached to different parts of the body, fixed to hat, piled in stacks, hung on fences, held in the hand, dragged on the ground, and occasionally worn on the forehead with the beard draping over the face of the wearer or arranged on a miniature palisade. Participants in most rites display their masks as a group in conjunction with particular dance movements and aphorisms, which vary depending on the context in which they are used. Lega masks differ from those used in many other African masquerades in that while women do not own them, both men and women handle and present them in very similar performances. Masks are among the initiation objects displayed on the grave before being passed to new owners. They are usually passed from an uncle to a nephew. -
African Wooden Ceremonial Crocodile Face Mask
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A simplified crocodile head, painted red and black, rough shaped eyes and pegged teeth. 870 grams, face long: 33 cm
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The masks symbolize animals or spirits and are worn during ceremonies associated with new crops, initiations and funerals. Ones with an interior cavity too small for a human head are carried on the top corner of a rectangular, tent like costume.
