Online catalogue for the 59th tribal art auction

444 Female twin figure "ere ibeji"

This object is not available any more.

Nigeria, Yoruba, Area of Abeokuta

wood, reddish brown patina, with traces of black paint and camwood powder "osun", with raised head rising from a flat base, the arms arranged handle-shaped, with the small hands resting aside the upper legs, the well-formed body completed by a beautiful modelled head with protruding chin, a fine grooved coiffure widely projecting to the back forming the counterweight, the eyes incised, the pupils pierced, lancet-shaped scarification marks on forehead and cheeks, ornamented with strands of multi-coloured ancient beads, the facial features extremely abraded, slightly dam., traces of old insect caused damage at the coiffure; in case of death of one of the twins, such figures were given to the living one, in order to prevent any further harm. The figures bare the name of the deceased. The small bead necklaces are presents for the "substitute twin". These small "ibeji" figures seem to have a long tradition, since the oldest documented "ibejis" of the same type, verifiable have been in the British Museum in London since 1854. William Fagg ascribes them to the region of Abeokuta.

H: 19 cm, ~ 19th Century
H: 7.5 inch, ~ 19th Century

Provenance
Coll. Aloys Faust, Cologne, Germany (1960)
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Sold.

445 Female pair of twin figures "ere ibeji"

This object is not available any more.

Nigeria, Yoruba, Area of Igbomina

wood, dark brown shiny patina, encrusted with camwood powder, each rising from a circular base, their bodies enclosed by square shoulders and strong arms nearly reaching down to the ground, their heads provided with broad, chinless jaws, projecting trapezoid lids with bulging pupils and high towering coiffures, aside of linear and angular scarification marks on the face, their bodies are abundantly decorated with scarification marks, additional decor with beaded necklaces, slightly dam., minor missing parts (mouth, ears, arm and coiffure of one of the figures), cracks, necklace of one figure torn; the inconvenient rich tattoos refer to a high social rank and position. The missing parts at the mouth are the result of symbolic feeding procedures. The coiffure ending in a split knot, symbolize the highest Yoruba deity "olorun" ("oludmare"). As the Yoruba believe that twins have a combined, inseparable soul, the minute one twin dies, the life of the other is immediately imperiled, because the balance of his soul has been seriously disturbed.Therefore an artisan is ordered to carve a small wooden figure as a symbolic substitute for the soul of the departed. This figure serves as a new abode for the soul of the deceased.The "babalawo" will then perform the traditional ritual of transferring the soul to the wooden figure. They are called "ere ibeji". The Yoruba word "ibeji" means "twin", "ere" = "sacred image".

H: 29 cm
H: 11.4 inch

Provenance
Gert Stoll, Berchtesgaden, Germany
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Published in
Mareidi und Gert Stoll, Ibeji, Zwillingfiguren der Yoruba, München 1980, p. 308, ill. 208

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446 Male twin figure "ere ibeji" in beaded coat

This object is not available any more.

Nigeria, Yoruba

wood, reddish brown patina, string of glass beads, metal ring, rising from a vaulted base, the shoulders arranged rectangular, the arms amalgamated with the upper legs, the schematized body nearly entirely concealed by a cantilevered beaded coat, entirely embroidered with polychrome miniature glass beads, arranged in stripes and diamond-shaped patterns, crowned by a big head with a high crested coiffure, pierced eyes (the originally inserted metal tags now missing), slightly dam., cracks (left side of the head), abrasion (layer of black paint at the coiffure rubbed off, revealing a fine grooved pattern with indigo blue paint underneath)

H: 29,5 cm
H: 11.6 inch

Provenance
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Price: 2500 - 5000 €

447 Pair of twin figures "ere ibeji"

This object is not available any more.

Nigeria, Yoruba

wood, reddish brown patina, encrusted with camwood powder, small residues of indigo blue paint, a male and a female figure, each rising from a circular base, slender bodies with narrow sloping shoulders closely flanked by long arms, the hands with long fingers resting aside the upper legs, linear scarification marks on cheeks and forehead, high cresting crown-like coiffure with fine grooves, pierced pupils, slightly dam., insect caused missing part at the base of the female figure, cracks at the back of the females shoulder, minor missing parts (ears)

H: 27/28 cm
H: 27/11 inch

Provenance
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Sold.

448 Male twin figure "ere ibeji"

This object is not available any more.

Nigeria, Yoruba, Area of Abeokuta

wood, reddish brown patina with traces of black paint, indigo blue pigment at the coiffure, rising from a rectangular base, the well-proportioned body symmetrical arranged, both arms strut from the body with the finger tips resting aside the upper legs, enhancing the static angular effect of the figure, well-balanced facial features, the eyes with lowered lids and pierced pupils, incised scarifications on the cheeks, a disc-shaped crested coiffure with fine grooves, the classical Abeokuta coiffure "agogo", slightly dam., minor missing parts at the crest; sign of the carver "X" on the underside of the base, which stands for "Oniyide Akpeno Adugbologe" (1890 - 1949). He was the son of the famous master carver "Ojerinde" (died 1914), the founder of the "Adugbologe Carving House". The assignment by the name "Adugbologe" is not always clear, because both "Ojerinde", and "Oniyide", as well as the grandchild "Salakatu Ayo" used the same name.

H: 23 cm
H: 9.1 inch

Provenance
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Price: 900 - 1800 €

449 Female twin figure "ere ibeji"

This object is not available any more.

Nigeria, Yoruba, Area of Igbomina

wood, camwood powder "osun", small traces of indigo blue pigment at the coiffure, with short legs rising form a round base, the body with beautiful round shoulders dominated by heavy, hanging breasts, both hands resting aside the thighs, the head crowned by a fine grooved six-lobed coiffure, the face carved with diamond-shaped eyes with pierced pupils, the metal tags missing, incised scarification marks on the cheeks, strings with ancient beads around neck and wrist, probably of local manufacture, unusual the coral links (anklet), the facial features rubbed off, beautiful washed patina in the area of shoulders and breast, slightly dam., cracks

H: 24,5 cm
H: 9.6 inch

Provenance
Bonham's London, 17th June 1991
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Literature
Stoll, Gert, Ibeji, Zwillingfiguren der Yoruba, München 1980, ill. 225

Sold.

450 Female twin figure "ere ibeji"

This object is not available any more.

Nigeria, Yoruba, Area of Igbomina

wood, reddish brown shiny patina, incrustation with camwood powder in some areas, indigo blue pigment, a high towering body with straight arms and hands held to the thighs rising from a round base, a strong neck supporting a head with a beautifully modelled face and an artificial crown-like pierced coiffure, elaborate details like harness, scarifications on the back and the islamic triangular amulet "tirah", slightly dam., cracks (left side of the head and body, coiffure); gorgeous work of a master carver. For comparable figures of the same workshop, if not of the same hand, see: M. u. G. Stoll, Ibeji, Zwillingsfiguren der Yoruba, München 1980, ill. 194

H: 30 cm, ~ 1st quarter of the 20th Century
H: 11.8 inch, ~ 1st quarter of the 20th Century

Provenance
Sotheby's London, Tribal Arts, 17th June 1991, lot 113
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Sold.

451 Female twin figure "ere ibeji"

This object is not available any more.

Nigeria, Yoruba, Area of Abeokuta

wood, reddish brown patina with traces of black paint, residues of indigo blue pigment at the coiffure, rising from a square base with an old break to the front, the upper part of the body leant forward, the hands with stretched fingers resting aside the thighs, the head carved with a fine grooved crested coiffure of the Abeokuta typical "agogo" style, pupils and mouth, as well as the earlaps provided with drilled holes, "oyo" typical tribal signs in groups of four arranged in pairs on each cheek, a variation of "abaja", incised tattoos on forehead and chin, necklace with coconut discs around the hips, slightly dam., minor missing part at the mouth

H: 25 cm
H: 9.8 inch

Provenance
Ketterer, Munich, Germany (~1986)
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Sold.

452 Female twin figure "ere ibeji"

This object is not available any more.

Nigeria, Yoruba, Area of Abeokuta

wood, dull middle brown patina, with bulging, "hanging" abdomen rising from a flat oval base, both hands with stretched fingers resting aside the thighs, long pointed breasts, both adorned with carved Koranic prayer boards, the narrow, protruding face showing elaborate carved features, the fine grooved coiffure crested, arranged in the so-called "agogo" style, which is typical for the Abeokuta region, the "oyo" scarification marks "abaya" on the cheeks arranged in groups of four, slightly dam., both thumbs missing; presumably from the hand of a member of famous "Labode" family of Ayetoro. For a comparable figure see Christie's, Tribal Arts, 22. June 1981, lot 141.

H: 23 cm, 19th/20th Century
H: 9.1 inch, 19th/20th Century

Provenance
Gert Stoll, Berchtesgaden, Germany
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Sold.

453 Female pair of twin figures "ere ibeji"

This object is not available any more.

Nigeria, Yoruba, Area of Ilorin-Igbomina

wood, reddish and blackish brown patina, encrusted with camwood powder, small residues of indigo blue paint, both rising from a circular base with nearly identical postures, their big hands with stretched fingers resting aside the thighs, crowned by big heads with bonnet-like grooved coiffure with raised middle ridge, dominated by big "spectacle"-like framed eyes with pierced pupils and a projecting tapering mouth, horizontal scarification marks on the cheeks, beaded strings around neck and hips, slightly dam., cracks, minor missing parts (hair crest of one of the figures)

H: 30 cm
H: 11.8 inch

Provenance
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Literature
Stoll, Gert, Ibeji, Zwillingfiguren der Yoruba, München 1980, ill. 232, ill. 166

Sold.