Curiosities, Objects de Vertu and a Selection of African Art. In partnership with Baias Arte.

Two African bone figures
Congo?, 19th century
Two male kneeling figures carved from a single bone.
H cm 17.5

Four bones figures
Ethiopia? 20th century
A group of four human figures with Christian attributes.
The biggest one H cm 17.5

An African dagger scabbard and hilt
D.R. of Congo - Chokwe people (?)
Hardened leather, raffia, shells and bone. Interesting object of use characterized by the showy anthropomorphic handle and the scabbard adorned with a passport mask framed by small cowrie shells.
L cm 33,5

A Bamoun African pipe
Africa - Cameroon
A large cast bronze pipe with dark patina with anthropomorphic figures.
This kind of artefacts are typical of the Grasslands of Cameroon.
H cm 62.5

Bronze plaque in Benin style
West Africa, Early 20th century
Dark-patinated bronze plaque featuring three high-relief figures, likely depicting the royal procession of an Oba on horseback accompanied by his attendants.
Plaque: H cm 27

African crest mask in bronze
Africa - Mali
Bronze and raffia crest mask with inserts made from small shells.
L cm 57

An African bronze mask
Cameroon - Bamoun
A heavy cast small mask with copper inlay depicting a bearded man.
H cm 27

An impressive African Nkondi fetish
D.R. of Congo - Kongo people
Carved wood, canvas, raffia and other organic materials. The slender figure of a standing woman entirely wrapped in canvas and imprisoned in a thick web of ropes that block her neck and sex. This type of artifacts, called Nkisi, are believed to contain spiritual power or spirits. Minkondi are a subclass of minkisi, with their magic power they are considered aggressive and their primary use is mainly to hunt criminal and enemies, locating and punishing them.
H cm 83

A rare and large African Kafigeledjo oracle figure
Ivory Coast - Senufo people
Canvas, wood, feathers and other organic materials. This type of fetich sculpture, known as oracle figures, are striking for their disturbing and enigmatic appearance that transmit a strong sense of oppression and entrapment. Kept shrouded in secrecy, their use is restricted to the most enlightened senior male of the community that use them during trials to identify the guilty or to verify the reliability of depositions.
H cm 63

A large African Nkondi with iron blades
D.R. of Congo - Kongo people
Carved wood, wire, iron blades and Kaolin. Suggestive fetish sculpture depicting a standing human figure entrapped in a thick metal net attached to large metal blades embedded in the body. As other sculptures of this type the artifact was intended to punish from a long distance an enemy inflicting painful punishment and deprivation of freedom
H cm 62

A fine African altar with female figures
Mali -Dogon people
Carved wood with rich dark patina. The piece shows eight highly stylized female figures arrayed around a central column. The purpose of such objects is not entirely clear, but probably they were involved in ritual functions as altars for ancestors.
H cm 45

A fine and large African female figure
Burkina Faso - Mossi people
Carved and incised wood. Large standing figure of a young woman with highly stylized face and prominent breast. This sculpture is probably part of a large Karan Wemba mask, artifacts in which the mask are always surmounted by a standing figure like this. This type of masks is used among the Mossi during the funerals of revered women.
H cm 64

A large African Sowei helmet mask
Sierra Leone -Guinea - Mende people
Carved wood with dark brown patina, the highly stylized face reveals a broad forehead framed by an elegant coiffure. Masks of this type, called Sowei or Bundu are worn by members of the female Sande Society during the masquerades held in occasion of the initiation's rituals.
H cm 35

An unusual African Okuyi mask
Gabon - Punu people
Carved wood, dark lustrous patina and white kaolin. The female face, framed by a large and elegant hair dress and the traditional nine scale-like scarification, depicted in an unusual way with the mouth half open to show the tongue. This type of masks has been linked to the Mukui Society and are associated to female ancestors' celebration.
H cm 34.5

A fine African 'mother and child' sculpture
Ivory coast - Baule people
Carved wood with lustrous black patina. Beautifully detailed carving depicting a young and slender standing figure of a mother holding her child on her back with supple and sensuous body.
H cm 46.5

An African maternity
Ivory Coast - Baule people
Carved wood with black patina. Nice sculpture depicting a seated mother on a high stool cradling her baby.
H cm 45

A large and rare African Aduno Koro container
Mali - Dogon people
Carved Wood. The elongated body of the box entirely decorated in low relief with eighty human figures on each side. Closed by its lid it presents a long tail and a long neck culminating in an equine head giving to the entire artifact a horse-like aspect. This type of ritual containers called Aduno Koro (Ark of the World) meant to represent the mythic ark sent by Amma to populate the world under the guide of Nommo who transformed himself into a horse and transported the eight primordial ancestor across the earth to water.
L cm 73

A large African Wunkirmian feasting spoon
Guinea - Dan people?
Carved wood with lustrous black patina. These large ladles, often of very large size, are called Wunkirmian (literally 'spoon associated to the feast') and are the important distinctive sign of the Wa-Ke-De, title of great distinction given to the most hospitable woman of the village in charge of prepare the large feast that accompanies masquerade ceremonies.
L cm 54.5

An African Ekpo crest mask
Nigeria - Ekoi people
Wood covered with animal skin.
This particular kind of crest mask sits atop the head of the dancer during the Ikem, ceremonial plays of the Ekpo society, performed to venerate the ancestors. Old masks of this type were made using human skin, nowadays they are made using antelope skin.
H cm 29

An Inuit sculpture
Alaska, 20th century
Dark green stone sculpture representing two sea lions. On the bottom engraved signature.
L cm 20

A fine terracotta mask
Meso-America, Probably 19th century
A mould terracotta mask depicting a male face.
H cm 16

A terracotta female figure
Central America
Patinated terracotta sculpture depicting a female figure with archaic features, seated in a hieratic pose astride an animal, possibly of apotropaic significance and associated with fertility.
H cm 19

Pair of Ceremonial Figures in Pre-Columbian Style
Crafted in terracotta and inspired by the ancient cultures of Mesoamerica. The two figures represent ceremonial characters-either priests or minor deities-richly adorned with geometric and symbolic motifs.
H max cm 14

A fine marquetry box
Italy, Early 20th century
Hard wood and bone marquetry box with cover.
Cm 20x11x5