Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 2385
African Wooden Fertility Figure
BAMILEKE TRIBE, EARLY-MID 20TH CENTURY A.D.
25 5/8 in. (1.43 kg, 65 cm).
Carved in the round naked female with knees flexed standing on a grotesque male head. [No Reserve]
Provenance
From Cameroon, Central Africa.
From the estate of Dr J Bynon.
From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Footnotes
This is a carved wooden tribal figure, part of the door frame of the Chief's house, from the Bamileke tribe. A large number of prestigious items of paraphernalia were produced within the Grassland area, including large house-posts, door and window frames carved with human and animal figures, thrones, stools and tables decorated with small heads and figures, large bowls, carved horns for royal feasts, anthropomorphic terracotta and bronze pipes.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine 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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
RELATED LOTS
-
African Wooden Ancestor Figure
Bembe Tribe, 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
A hand-carved female figure standing on a base with a columnar body, displaying scarification to the front and side of the face. 960 grams, 36.3 cm
From Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa. From an old Bristol, UK, ethnographical collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman. -
African Brass Manilla Slave Bracelet
Okombo Tribe, late 19th-early 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
Penannular in profile and round in section with integral pellet and wire detailing. 248 grams, 10.5 cm
From 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. -
African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
Kamba Tribe, mid-late 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Carved wooden mask, leaf-shaped in plan with reserved nose and mouth, angled elliptical slots to the eyes, remains of pigment. 802 grams, 45 cm
From Kenya, East Africa. From the private collection of Mr N.J., Leicester, UK; acquired circa 2010. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.