Loading, please wait...
LOT 2367
African Wooden Ritual Cup
SENUFO TRIBE, 20TH CENTURY A.D.
7 1/4 in. (940 grams, 18.5 cm wide).
Comprising a cotton-reel-shaped body with stylised figural handles carved in the round, one male and one female, each facing the other with chin resting on the rim of the cup, arms embracing the bowl, legs spread around the foot, frieze of interlocking combed triangles around the stem. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa.
Acquired Nairobi, Kenya, 1997.
Property of a Manchester, UK, collector.
From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
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.
-
African Wooden 'Akuaba Doll' Wedding Fertility Figure Pair
Ashanti Tribe, early-mid 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
Each with exaggerated discoid head, squat body with stub arms, standing on a conical base. 985 grams total, 36-36.5 cm
From Ghana, West Africa. Ex private Cheshire, UK, collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Among the Ashanti people in Ghana, women hoping for offspring carry these ‘Akuaba dolls’ in their clothes. Traditionally, these ‘Akuaba’ have a large, round, flat head that is reminiscent of its origin as a representation of the moon goddess, which is associated with fertility. Once the ‘Akuaba’ figure has fulfilled its purpose, the mother of the desired child places it on her domestic altar, where it is worshipped in a shrine, or she passes it on to the next generation. -
Ashanti Bronze Gold Figural Weight Collection
Akan Tribe, 19th-20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
Including a figure using a hoe, another carrying a basket on her head and other types. 150 grams total, 49-64 mm
From an old Oxford, UK, collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman. -
African Wooden Ancestor Figure
Yoruba Tribe, 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
A hand-carved standing female figure with hands placed by the side and scarification to the face, breasts and stomach. 600 grams, 44.5 cm
From Southwest Nigeria, West Africa. From an old Bristol, UK, ethnographical collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Human figures are represented in a fundamentally naturalistic way, except for bulging eyes; flat, protruding, and usually parallel lips; and stylised ears. Within the basic canon of Yoruba sculpture, many local styles can be distinguished, down to the hand of the individual artist.
