Online catalogue for the 55th tribal art auction

71 Figural carved upper part of a ceremonial staff

This object is not available any more.

Peru, Chancay

wood, dull middle brown patina, a standing figure, flat and expanded in proportions, carved with a short-sleeved garment, thin lower arms supporting a receptacle and a human head in front of the body, the wide facial plane with bared teeth framed by disc-shaped earrings and a bow-shaped coiffure, decorated with notched, linear and circular incised ornaments, slightly dam., cracks, minor missing parts, acrylic base; the subject recalls one of the Mochica's favourite themes that of the "decapitating god", always represented holding a cut head by the hair. The Mochica were an ancient Native American civilization on the coast of North Peru, previously called Early Chimu. They were warriors with a highly developed social and political organization.

H: 26,5 cm
H: 10.4 inch

Provenance
Coll. August Flick, Cologne, Germany
Private Collection, Cologne, Germany

Literature
Purini, Sergio/Emmerich, André, La sculpture en bois dans l'ancien Pérou, Paris 2006, p. 78, ill. 26

Sold.

72 Statuette of the Mother Goddess "astarte"

This object is not available any more.

Syria

terracotta, schematized forms, flat, with curved contours, the arms held outward, crowned by a small head with flattened, large-scale coiffure, on base

H: 11 cm, ca. 2nd. Millenium BC
H: 4.3 inch, ca. 2nd. Millenium BC

Provenance
Private Collection, New York, USA

Sold.

73 Standing female ancestor figure "blolo bla"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Baule

wood, dark brown patina, with short legs rising from elongated feet, the upper part of the body marked by broad, flat shoulders and strong muscular arms, both hands resting on the bulging abdomen, a fine modelled face, showing bean-shaped eyes with raised rim and painted pupils, crowned by a fine-grooved coiffure recontoured by plaited lobes, raised scarification marks on temples and neck, brass tags, fabric loin cloth, dam., cracks (upper part of the body, right side of the head), missing parts because of insect caused damage (both feet), minor missing parts (ears, coiffure), on base

H: 45 cm
H: 17.7 inch

Provenance
Coll. Friedrich Louis Anton Gurlitt, Berlin, Germany
Gall. Henseler, Munich, Germany (1994)
Coll. Roland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Price: 2600 - 4000 €

74 Granary shutter

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

wood, residues of blackish brown, encrusted patina, two wooden planks, joined by metal clamps, the shutters swing open and shut on projecting pivots at the top and bottom that are set into depressions on the sill and lintel, the front completely carved, horizontally subdivided into three compartments, nice detail, a "small door within the door", a rectangular opening in the centre, closed by a small shutter with miniature lock, a stylized figure aside, the compartments above and below in dense rows carved with stylized standing figures, male on top and female at the bottom, a further lock backside, complete with bolt, decorated with incised linear ornaments, slightly dam., minor missing parts, paint rubbed off, cracks, traces of weathering, water spots backside, old collection label; granaries outnumber almost all other types of buildings in Dogon villages, demonstrating the importance of preserving crops produced with the hard labor required in such a rocky landscape. Every family has several granaries, one for each of the wives and the rest for the head of the family, in which are stored millet, sorghum, rice, corn, beans etc. Personal valuables and family altars are sometimes also stored in granaries. The meaning of the accumulation of similar anonymous figures on granary shutters is not clear. The granary itself is often seen as a symbol of the celestial ark that figured in the creation and settlement of the earth and the figures on granary shutters have been interpreted as the mythical beings who populated the ark and gave rise to the various Dogon lineages.

H: 62 cm; B: 42 cm
H: 24.4 inch; B: 16.5 inch

Provenance
Private Collection, France (1964)
Coll. Roland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Literature
Homberger, Lorenz (Hg.), Die Kunst der Dogon, Museum Rietberg Zürich 1995, p. 92 f., ill. 55 f.
Ezra, Kate, Art of the Dogon, Selections from the Lester Wunderman Collection, Metropolitan Museum New York 1988, p. 92 f.

Sold.

75 Ring

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

bronze, disc with incised concentric circle ornament, crosswise divided by flat struts, supporting a stylized horse, traces of corrosion, missing parts at the rim, the ring slightly deformed

D: 2 cm
D: 0.8 inch

Provenance
Coll. Roland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Price: 400 - 600 €

76 Ring with equestrian figure

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

bronze, broad ring with plaited band ornaments, supporting a flat disc with incised concentric circles, carrying a stylized equestrian with tube-like limbs, small traces of corrosion, cast with minor missing part, on base; in the area south of the Sahara such bronze rings give information about the social status of the person wearing them.

D: 2,5 cm
D: 1 inch

Provenance
Coll. Roland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Literature
Borel, France, Schmuck, Kostbarkeiten aus Afrika, Asien, Ozeanien und Amerika, Speyer 1999, p. 95

Price: 400 - 600 €

77 Two arm cuffs

This object is not available any more.

West Africa

copper alloy, open form, cantilevered rims on top and at the bottom, entirely coated with grooves, rectangular decoration with incised diamond-shaped ornaments in the centre and along the open rims, slightly deformed, traces of corrosion

B: 14 cm; D: 9,5 cm
B: 5.5 inch; D: 3.7 inch

Provenance
Coll. Roland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Price: 400 - 600 €

78 Face mask "deangle"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Dan

wood, dull dark brown patina, of oval hollowed form with bulging forehead and tapering chin, the eye zone deepened in a horizontal line, raised vertical forehead ridge, dam., minor missing parts (chin, backside at the rim), scratches, traces of old insect caused damgage; "deangle" literally implies a "joking and smiling" mask character. The name shows by itself that a friendly and beautiful appearance is discribed, which should bring joy to the people.

H: 24 cm
H: 9.4 inch

Provenance
Coll. Roland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Price: 400 - 600 €

79 Mask

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Ngere

wood, dark brown patina, camwood powder, expressive, roundplastic bulging forms, a roof-like protruding forehead flanked by tapering ears, castagnet-shaped eyes with tubular projections below, the whole facial contour dissolved in zigzag or tusk-like projections, small remains of animal skin at the chin, slightly dam., paint rubbed off, traces of old insect caused damage on the back

H: 33 cm
H: 13 inch

Provenance
Coll. Roland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Sold.

80 Ring with buffalo head "nyi-kar-yi"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Senufo

brass, stylized form, with elongated snout and big curved horns, patina; this "nyi-kar-yi" was even called "ring of silence". Members of a healing society used to hold it between the teeth, when one of them was buried. additional: a ring of the Lobi, brass, decorated with elongated flat half circles, flanking a club-shaped element in the middle, concentric circle ornament in the centre

D: ca. 2 cm
D: ca. 0.8 inch

Provenance
Coll. Roland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Literature
Borel, France, Schmuck, Kostbarkeiten aus Afrika, Asien, Ozeanien und Amerika, Speyer 1999, p. 89

Sold.