African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask

A carved tribal stool, an oval seat decorated with beads supported by two female figures displaying scarification, on a plano-convex base. 2.55 kg, 41 cm high



From Republic of Benin, West Africa. From the collection of the late Professor R M Hicks, OBE. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.

Penannular in form, comprising rectangular polyhedral blocks with ring-and-dot ornament, spiral form to the arms. 244 grams, 87 mm



From Nigeria, West Africa. From an old Derby, UK, specialist collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.

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.” Provenance: Private Derby Oriental Collection. The Manilla is in very good condition and measures 105mm wide and weighs about 250gms. Manillas are typically horseshoe-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.

A carved face mask, decorated with lengths of fibre representing hair, with small nose, carved teeth and scarification. 285 grams, face long: 20 cm



From Western Ivory Coast, West Africa. From the late Brian Morley collection, 1950s. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.