AUTHORITY STAFF, ombweti
AF187
AF187
Culture, Origin: Ovimbundu, Angola.
Material: wood
Dimensions: 60cm
Provenance: Private collection UK
Price: £500
Material: wood
Dimensions: 60cm
Provenance: Private collection UK
Price: £500
STICK CLUB, iwisa
AF176
AF176
Culture, Origin: Zulu, Southern Africa.
Material: wood, metal wire
Dimensions: 64cm
Provenance: private collection UK
Literature/Notes: Although the head is of small proportions, the wirework shaft is the primary attraction of this stick club, which is entirely plaited in copper and brass wire.
Price: £350
Material: wood, metal wire
Dimensions: 64cm
Provenance: private collection UK
Literature/Notes: Although the head is of small proportions, the wirework shaft is the primary attraction of this stick club, which is entirely plaited in copper and brass wire.
Price: £350
BATTLE AXE
AF143
AF143
Culture, Origin: Sotho, Southern Africa.
Material: wood, iron, braided copper wire
Dimensions: 78cm
Provenance: Neville Kingston Collection, UK
Price: £695
Material: wood, iron, braided copper wire
Dimensions: 78cm
Provenance: Neville Kingston Collection, UK
Price: £695
SKIMMING SPOON
AF177
AF177
Culture, Origin: Zulu (North Nguni), Natal, South Africa
Material: wood
Dimensions: 33.5cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: Very unusually, the bowl of this spoon is pieced through, allowing liquid to pass, presumably for use in beer brewing. Beer skimmers (isikhetho) were usually made of woven ilala palm leaf and were not commonly carved from wood. The circular bowl points to its use as a beer skimmer, rather than an adaption of a common food serving spoon (isixwembe), which tend to have oval bowls. Cf. a similar double rodded spoon with pokerwork crosspieces in the Terence Pethica collection, pub. The Art of Southern Africa, no. 91.
Price: £750
Material: wood
Dimensions: 33.5cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: Very unusually, the bowl of this spoon is pieced through, allowing liquid to pass, presumably for use in beer brewing. Beer skimmers (isikhetho) were usually made of woven ilala palm leaf and were not commonly carved from wood. The circular bowl points to its use as a beer skimmer, rather than an adaption of a common food serving spoon (isixwembe), which tend to have oval bowls. Cf. a similar double rodded spoon with pokerwork crosspieces in the Terence Pethica collection, pub. The Art of Southern Africa, no. 91.
Price: £750
FIGURAL SPOON
AF178
AF178
Culture, Origin: Tswana, South Africa
Material: wood
Dimensions: 29cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: Surmounted with a colon figure in hat, jacket, trousers and shoes with details picked out in pokerwork. The bowl is typically carved as a shallow pointed oval. Cf. Kevin Conru, The Art of Southeast Africa, no. 102, for a similar spoon with animal handle.
Price: £350
Material: wood
Dimensions: 29cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: Surmounted with a colon figure in hat, jacket, trousers and shoes with details picked out in pokerwork. The bowl is typically carved as a shallow pointed oval. Cf. Kevin Conru, The Art of Southeast Africa, no. 102, for a similar spoon with animal handle.
Price: £350
SPOON
AF182
AF182
Culture, Origin: Dinka, South Sudan
Material: horn
Dimensions: 23.5 x 7cm
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Price: £150
Material: horn
Dimensions: 23.5 x 7cm
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Price: £150
GOURD FLASK
AF97
AF97
Culture, Origin: Konso or Oromo, Ethiopia
Material: gourd, fibre, leather
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: UK auction
Price: £180
Material: gourd, fibre, leather
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: UK auction
Price: £180
AXE
AF13
AF13
Culture, Origin: Mwere, Tanzania
Material: wood, iron, glass
Dimensions: 70cm
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Price: £750
Material: wood, iron, glass
Dimensions: 70cm
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Price: £750
AXE
AF11
AF11
Culture, Origin: Shona, Zimbabwe
Material: wood, iron, cowhide, copper wire
Dimensions: 70cm
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Price: £450
Material: wood, iron, cowhide, copper wire
Dimensions: 70cm
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Price: £450
DOUBLE HEADREST
AF50
AF50
Culture, Origin: Nguni, Mozambique/South Africa
Material: wood
Dimensions: 31.5 X 6.5 X 15cm
Provenance: Northern England Auction
Literature/Notes: Cf. William J. Dewey, Sleeping Beauties: The Jerome L. Joss Collection of African Headrests at UCLA, p. 80, no. 75 (FMCH 86.2411) for a near identical headrest with alternative pillar support arrangement, most likely by the same hand. Dewey suggestS that double headrests can be used both upright or on their side. Little information about the origin of the Joss headrest is provided and this is the only other that I know of in private or public collections.
Price: POA
Material: wood
Dimensions: 31.5 X 6.5 X 15cm
Provenance: Northern England Auction
Literature/Notes: Cf. William J. Dewey, Sleeping Beauties: The Jerome L. Joss Collection of African Headrests at UCLA, p. 80, no. 75 (FMCH 86.2411) for a near identical headrest with alternative pillar support arrangement, most likely by the same hand. Dewey suggestS that double headrests can be used both upright or on their side. Little information about the origin of the Joss headrest is provided and this is the only other that I know of in private or public collections.
Price: POA
Culture, Origin: Matabele, Western Zimbabwe
Material: wood
Dimensions: 38.5 x 15 x 15cm
Provenance: William Kearney, Dublin
Literature: Stefan Eisenhofer ed., Tracing the Rainbow (Spuren des Regenbogens), p.353, fig 207 for a similar vessel without legs to the cover as in this example.
Price: POA
Material: wood
Dimensions: 38.5 x 15 x 15cm
Provenance: William Kearney, Dublin
Literature: Stefan Eisenhofer ed., Tracing the Rainbow (Spuren des Regenbogens), p.353, fig 207 for a similar vessel without legs to the cover as in this example.
Price: POA
BUST
AF76
AF76
Culture, Origin: Attributed to H.R. or P. van Ryneveld, South Africa
Material: pottery
Dimensions: 20 x 18 x 9.5cm
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Notes: A number of these busts are known to have been made by H.R. and P. Van Ryneveld in the late 1920's to the mid 1930s and Sam Stewart who worked until the 1950s. All seem to be signed, unlike this bust, and were sold as souvenirs. The quality is such that it may be an early sculpture of a Zulu, Xhosa or Swazi man attributed to one of the van Rynevelds in the late 20's.
Price: £395
Material: pottery
Dimensions: 20 x 18 x 9.5cm
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Notes: A number of these busts are known to have been made by H.R. and P. Van Ryneveld in the late 1920's to the mid 1930s and Sam Stewart who worked until the 1950s. All seem to be signed, unlike this bust, and were sold as souvenirs. The quality is such that it may be an early sculpture of a Zulu, Xhosa or Swazi man attributed to one of the van Rynevelds in the late 20's.
Price: £395
ASKARI
AF16
AF16
Culture, Origin: Kamba, Kenya
Material: wood, metal
Dimensions: 23cm
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Notes: There tradition of Askari carvings from Kenya owes its origin to one particular individual, Mutisya Munge, a Kamba tribesmen who served with the Carrier Corps in Tanganikya in 1914. He continued to carve figures after the war and was aided by his family to fulfil the increasing number of orders from newly arrived European settlers. See Michael Stevenson & Michael Graham-Stewart, The Mulungu in Africa, 2003, for further examples.
Price: £650
Material: wood, metal
Dimensions: 23cm
Provenance: Private Collection, UK
Notes: There tradition of Askari carvings from Kenya owes its origin to one particular individual, Mutisya Munge, a Kamba tribesmen who served with the Carrier Corps in Tanganikya in 1914. He continued to carve figures after the war and was aided by his family to fulfil the increasing number of orders from newly arrived European settlers. See Michael Stevenson & Michael Graham-Stewart, The Mulungu in Africa, 2003, for further examples.
Price: £650
Culture, Origin: Chokwe, Angola
Material: wood, copper wire, brass studs
Dimensions: 35cm
Provenance: Private Collection
Literature: Manuel Jordan ed. Chokwe!, 1999, ills 139-142, 145 for pipes and snuff mortars ornamented with tacks indicative of ownership by people of rank.
Price: £350
Material: wood, copper wire, brass studs
Dimensions: 35cm
Provenance: Private Collection
Literature: Manuel Jordan ed. Chokwe!, 1999, ills 139-142, 145 for pipes and snuff mortars ornamented with tacks indicative of ownership by people of rank.
Price: £350
Culture, Origin Chopi, Mozambique
Material: wood
Dimensions: 16.5 x 8.5 x 16.5cm
Provenance: Nagel, Stuttgart
Literature, Notes: National Museum of African Art, no. 90-7-1 for a similar cup. These very rare cups were used by men of high status for sacrificial libations using beer. This one shows the remains of resinous repair to a crack in the thinly carved wall, attesting to its importance to the owner. Another example in the Peabody Museum, Mass. collected in Inhambane in southern Mozambique in 1937.
Price: POA
Material: wood
Dimensions: 16.5 x 8.5 x 16.5cm
Provenance: Nagel, Stuttgart
Literature, Notes: National Museum of African Art, no. 90-7-1 for a similar cup. These very rare cups were used by men of high status for sacrificial libations using beer. This one shows the remains of resinous repair to a crack in the thinly carved wall, attesting to its importance to the owner. Another example in the Peabody Museum, Mass. collected in Inhambane in southern Mozambique in 1937.
Price: POA
WATER GOURD, isigubhu
AF117
AF117
Culture, Origin: Zulu, Southern Africa.
Material: gourd, wire
Dimensions: 14.5cm
Provenance: Collected in South Africa c. 1930s.
Price: £295
Material: gourd, wire
Dimensions: 14.5cm
Provenance: Collected in South Africa c. 1930s.
Price: £295
SNUFF SPOON, intshasa
AF137
AF137
Culture, Origin: Zulu (North Nguni), Natal, South Africa
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This very rare spoon has a comb handle but also a double nostril-shaped tray. The taking of snuff in Zulu culture was an important social activity, practised by men, women and children alike. Zulu snuff is often a blend of powdered cannabis and tobacco. Special spoons, fashioned by men from bone, ivory or horn were worn as ornaments around the neck through the ear or in the hair. Cf.. Zulu Treasures, Amagugu kaZulu, 1996, p. 212 -214 for similar examples.
Price: POA
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This very rare spoon has a comb handle but also a double nostril-shaped tray. The taking of snuff in Zulu culture was an important social activity, practised by men, women and children alike. Zulu snuff is often a blend of powdered cannabis and tobacco. Special spoons, fashioned by men from bone, ivory or horn were worn as ornaments around the neck through the ear or in the hair. Cf.. Zulu Treasures, Amagugu kaZulu, 1996, p. 212 -214 for similar examples.
Price: POA
SNUFF SPOON, intshasa
AF136
AF136
Culture, Origin: Zulu (North Nguni), Natal, South Africa
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This rare example doubles a comb.
Price: POA
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This rare example doubles a comb.
Price: POA
SNUFF SPOON, intshengula
AF135
AF135
Culture, Origin: Zulu (North Nguni), Natal, South Africa
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This unusual spoon has a kink at the neck which adds a certain charm and is a desirable feature amongst collectors. Please note the lip of the spoon is chipped sadly.
Price: £450
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This unusual spoon has a kink at the neck which adds a certain charm and is a desirable feature amongst collectors. Please note the lip of the spoon is chipped sadly.
Price: £450
SNUFF SPOON, intshengula
AF134
AF134
Culture, Origin: Zulu (North Nguni), Natal, South Africa
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This elegant spoon has circlet decoration to the neck reversed with crosshatching.
Price: £250
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This elegant spoon has circlet decoration to the neck reversed with crosshatching.
Price: £250
SNUFF SPOON, intshengula
AF133
AF133
Culture, Origin: Zulu (North Nguni), Natal, South Africa
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This elegant spoon has zigzag decoration to the neck reversed with crosshatching and an 'N' motif.
Price: £250
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This elegant spoon has zigzag decoration to the neck reversed with crosshatching and an 'N' motif.
Price: £250
SNUFF SPOON, intshengula
AF132
AF132
Culture, Origin: Zulu (North Nguni), Natal, South Africa
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This spoon has an elongated bowl, the neck decorated front and back.
Price: £350
Material: bone
Dimensions: cm
Provenance: Private UK collection
Literature/Notes: This spoon has an elongated bowl, the neck decorated front and back.
Price: £350
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