Online catalogue for the 53rd tribal art auction

231 Speakers staff

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Baule

wood, blackish brown patina, staff, circular in cross-section, carved with herringbone pattern and zigzag notches, crowned by a head with peaked cap

H: 1,10 m
H: 1,10 m

Sold.

232 dropped

This object is not available any more.

Price: 1300 - 2000 €

233 Three metal objects

This object is not available any more.

Baule, Elfenbeinküste and Burkina Faso

brass, circular pendant in form of a stylized turtle, min. dam., d: 6 cm; those objects were worn by servants who cared for the king when he was growing old or was about to die; additionally a circular bulging pendant from Burkina Faso with punched animal figures, d: 8 cm and a further object in form of a fish, min. dam., l: 6 cm

Price: 400 - 600 €

234 Chair

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Baule

wood, middle brown patina, leather, rising from four legs, a square seat stretched with leather, open worked backrest decorated with plastically carved square, oval and rhomb-shaped elements, min. dam., signs of usage, fissures

H: 61,5 cm
H: 24.2 inch

Provenance
Coll. Joseph Christiaens, Brussels, Belgium (1994)

Literature
Dagan, Esther A., Man at Rest, Montreal 1985, p. 26, ill. 118

Price: 1400 - 2100 €

235 Zoomorphic mask

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Baule

wood, shiny patina, black and red paint, of oval form, a slightly bulging forehead, circular eyes with drilled pupils underneath, flanking a long straight nose, a slightly protruding mouth accentuated with red paint, raised scarification marks at the root of the nose and at the temples, crowned by two curved horns, min. dam., slight signs of abrasion, fissures, indigenous repair (right horn), on base; "kpan" masks are part of the "goli" masquerade, a day-long performance that involves the entire village population and which displays four pairs of masks. This popular event only takes place during an important event such as the death of a notable or a major celebration. The "kpans" are the last to take part in the ballet, their appearance remaining exceptional; the ornamentation and colours are equally attributed to the two sexes, nothing making it possible to distinguish them clearly and their role remaining ambivalent.

H: 38 cm
H: 15 inch

Provenance
Christine Valluet, Paris, France

Literature
Guenneguez, André et Afo, Art de la Cote-d´Ivoire et de ses voisins, Paris o.J., p. 152

Price: 3200 - 4800 €

236 Beak mask "gägon"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Dan

wood, black patina, of oval hollowed, narrow form, framed by three grooves, small lancet-shaped eyes with metal sheet framing, a protruding sharp-edged nose merging into a beak-like tapering snout, pierced around the rim (partly broken), slightly dam., cracks (right side of the beak, head), minor missing parts on the back, on metal base; the mask was completed by a high tapering cylindrical helmet with feathers, a skirt of grass fibres and blue-white cloth wrapped around the upper part of the body. According to Hans Himmelheber these mask type surely had educational purposes in former times but is nowadays only used for entertainment of the village peoples.

H: 22 cm
H: 8.7 inch

Provenance
Marc and René Withofs, Brussels, Belgium

Literature
Eberhard Fischer und Hans Himmelheber, Die Kunst der Dan, Museum Rietberg Zürich 1976, p. 119 ff.

Sold.

237 Spoon "po"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Dan

wood, brown patina, longish oval shape, both sides decorated with incised stylized animals, a long neck carved with rings, surmounted by an oval head with simplified facial features, the eyes framed with metal sheet, more metal decorations in the head area, min. dam., cracks, slight signs of abrasion, on base; the so-called "po" spoons were property and insignia of "wunkirle" - a well-known married woman, distinguished by her generosity and abilities. During the harvest festival, such a spoon was used by "wunkirle" to distribute rice. It was also used on other occasions, at funerals of notables or in celebrations marking the end of initiation ceremonies.

H: 57,5 cm
H: 22.6 inch

Provenance
Rothschild Family Collection, USA

Literature
Cuillers sculptures, Ausst.kat. Zürich-Paris 1990-1991, p. 75

Price: 1200 - 1800 €

238 Mask "zakpai"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Dan

wood, black and red paint, shiny patina, of oval form with pierced circular eyes flanking a small triangular nose, a protruding mouth with full lips and a bulging chin underneath, pierced around the rim, min. dam., slight signs of abrasion

H: 22 cm
H: 8.7 inch

Sold.

239 Miniature mask

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Dan

wood, shiny brown patina, kaolin, of oval form, a protruding forehead with raised middle ridge, narrow slit eyes underneath curved eyebrows, flanking a small nose, a slightly opened mouth with full lips below, min. dam., small missing parts and slight signs of abrasion, on base; miniature masks have different functions: they represent significant mask figures and were taken along to keep in touch with the helping spirit even when going away. Thus they were worn by men and women as well.

H: 13,5 cm
H: 5.3 inch

Provenance
Belgian Collection

Literature
Tagliaferri, Aldo, Miniature masks from West Africa, Mailand 1997, p. 25, ill. 2

Price: 2000 - 3000 €

240 Face mask "deangle"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Dan

wood, middle brown patina with residues of blackish paint, of oval hollowed form, a slightly bulging forehead merging into a curved nose with disc-shaped flattened tip, accentuated by a raised vertical ridge, flanked by narrow slit eyes with drilled holes in the corners of the eyes, a slighty opened diamond-shaped mouth underneath, a beard of twisted cord material attached in the chin area, traces of blackish mass and three metal clamps on top of the head, pierced around the rim, slightly dam., hairline cracks, collection label, small place of repair (?) backside at the rim, on metal base; the "dean" mask characters belong to circumcision camps ("mbon") of young boys and girls, which are always situated in the holy forest nearby the village. The camp is protected by the invisible forest ghost "nana", who appoints the "deangle" mask characters, which are responsible for food and protection of the young boys and girls. They are not accompanied by musicians and they are not singing and dancing, but moving gracefully and joking with the women, begging them to send plenty of food for the camp. They act as a mediator between camp and village.

H: 22,5 cm
H: 8.9 inch

Provenance
Jean-Paul Delcourt, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Literature
Fischer, Eberhard, Himmelheber, Hans, Die Kunst der Dan, Museum Rietberg Zürich 1976, p. 41 f.
Homberger, Lorenz, Masken der Wè und Dan, Elfenbeinküste, Museum Rietberg Zürich 1997, p. 63, ill. 26

Price: 33000 - 50000 €