Online catalogue for the 59th tribal art auction

459 Standing zoomorphic figure

This object is not available any more.

Cameroon Grassfields, Bafo

light brown wood, mat, brown patina, carved with a kind of skirt, the forearms angled in front of the chest, surmounted by a rabbit-like head with circular eyes and pierced pupils, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage, slight signs of abrasion, rep. (foot tips), on wooden base

H: 38 cm
H: 15 inch

Price: 500 - 1000 €

460 Male figurine "mosongo"

This object is not available any more.

Cameroon Grassfields, Bafo

wood, red and blackish brown encrusted patina, unclear if the hands support a chin beard or a flute, two openings on the head, slightly dam., minor missing parts, on the right foot inside inscribed "A-62", on metal plate; "mosongo" represents a supernatural power, who is said to punish those who give false oath. If someone perjures by the name of "mosongo", the figure is said to topple or to make a striking movement, and the perjurer soon is befallen by a horrible accident.

H: 18,5 cm
H: 7.3 inch

Provenance
Coll. Karl Modéer, Stockholm, Sweden
Pace Primitive, New York, USA, No. 53-1628

Exposed in
Pace Primitive New York, Catalogue, Fall 2007

Published in
Negerkonst.Stockholm: National Museum, 1953, p. 101, cat. 368

GVR Archives Registration No.
0072690

Literature
Gardi, Bernhard, Kunst in Kamerun, Basel 1994, p. 63, ill. 59

Price: 9000 - 15000 €

461 Standing male figure "mu'po"

This object is not available any more.

Cameroon Grassfields, Bamileke

wood, reddish brown patina, incrusted in some areas, camwood powder, with round thighs rising from fragmentary legs, supporting a trunk with bulging abdomen and a strong neck, the arms growing out of the back, with both hands resting in front of the breast, the head dominated by big projecting ears and a big mouth with bared teeth, a rectangular opening on the back, dam., cracks, missing parts because of insect caused damage (right side of the body and arm, upper side of the head), the surface showing traces of weathering, on metal plate; zum Werkzeug des Wahrsagers gehörend. Die Figuren werden mit Medizinmitteln eingerieben, denn nur so können sie wirksam werden. Man sagt, dass sie mit Medizin "heiß" gemacht werden. In die Höhlung am Rücken wurde Medizin eingefügt. Die Figuren werden auch bei Tänzen mitgetragen und sollen dabei die Mitglieder des "kungan"-Bundes vor Zauber schützen. Die krustige Patina weist auf Spuren von Opfergaben hin.

H: 52 cm
H: 20.5 inch

Literature
Homberger, Lorenz (Hg.), Kamerun, Kunst der Könige, Museum Rietberg, Zürich 2008, ill. 85

Price: 7500 - 15000 €

462 Small female figure

This object is not available any more.

Cameroon Grassfields, Bamileke

wood, encrusted brown patina,

H: 20 cm
H: 7.9 inch

Provenance
Pierre Dartevelle, Brussels, Belgium

GVR Archives Registration No.
0071022

Sold.

463 Standing figure

This object is not available any more.

Cameroon Grassfields, Bamileke

wood, coated with sackcloth, completely covered with cowrie snails and grey seeds of Job's-tear grass ("coix lacryma-jobi"), red and black glass beads forming the facial features, dressed with an apron, min. dam., small missing parts, slight signs of abrasion; such prestige accoutrements were displayed by royal title holders or retainers on ceremonial occasions.

H: 41 cm
H: 16.1 inch

Literature
von Lintig, Bettina, Cameroun, Galerie Dulon, Paris 2006, p. 144 f.

Price: 600 - 1500 €