Online catalogue for the 60th tribal art auction

271 Face mask "okuyi"

This object is not available any more.

Gabon, Punu

wood, kaolin, brown and red paint, oval hollowed face with a bulging grooved coiffure and chin projection, dam., minor missing parts (hair line, coiffure, rim backside), cracks (left side of the head), paint rubbed off in some areas, metal base

H: 28 cm
H: 11 inch

Provenance
Coll. Marceau Rivière, Paris, France

Literature
Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Das Zweite Gesicht, Afrikanische Masken aus der Sammlung Barbier-Mueller, Genf, München, New York 1997, ill. 75

Price: 1500 - 3000 €

272 Mask "okuyi"

This object is not available any more.

Gabon, Punu

light-weigthed wood, black and red paint, oval hollowed face, coiffure with spherical bulging middle lobe and flat side lobes, label "6025" backside, min. dam., cracks, slight signs of abrasion, small missing parts, metal base; variation of the "white masks of the Ogowe". Originally used at funerary ceremonies, embodying male and female ancestors.

H: 33 cm
H: 13 inch

Provenance
Ludwig Bretschneider, Munich, Germany
Pierre Dartevelle, Brussels, Belgium

Literature
Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Das Zweite Gesicht, Afrikanische Masken aus der Sammlung Barbier-Mueller, Genf, München, New York 1997, p. 75

Sold.

273 Mask

This object is not available any more.

Gabon, Tsogho

wood, matt blackish brown patina, triangular flattened facial plane, marked by pierced eyes with raised rim, arranged close to each other and accentuated with kaolin, the beard set off in a raised zigzag line, a net-like bonnet of plant fibre backside, stripes of animal skin embroidered with nassa snails in the chin area, slightly dam., cracks and missing parts (bonnet), on metal base

H: 33,5 cm
H: 13.2 inch

Provenance
Galerie Henseler, Munich, Germany

Price: 4800 - 10000 €

274 Shield

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Azande

cane, dark brown patina, decorating geometrical pattern in light beige, of oval form, on rattan frame, elaborate wooden handle backside, min. dam., crack (handle), slight signs of usage; as varied as the entire weaponry of the Zande warriors has been, so too are known several basic variations of the shields. They vary in size and in wicker design, and are regarded as the most important identification markings of the warrior. Wickerwork patterns enabled warriors at night to distinguish between friend and foe.

H: 120 cm
H: 47.2 inch

Literature
Zirngibl, Manfred A., Plaschke, Dieter, Afrikanische Schilde, München 1992, p. 105, ill. 94

Price: 4500 - 9000 €

275 Small power figure "biteki"

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D. R. Congo

of the Teke, wood, brown patina, the whole body covered by a package of magical mass, showing tribe-typical facial features and headgear, min. dam., small missing parts, h: 20 cm; a small power half figure of the Songe, the eyes inset with cowrie snails, hole on top of the head, min. dam., missing parts through insect caused damage, cracks, h: 19 cm; additional a small figure of the Chokwe with clamp-like arms, crowned by a head with simplified facial features and flat headgear, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage, on base, h: 17,5 cm

Price: 750 - 1500 €

276 Replica of a sun helmet

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Bakongo

made of wood, matt dark brown patina, with broad flap, the hat band marked by grooves, even the vent holes indicated, slightly dam., missing part backside at the rim, abrasion on the underside

L: 35,5 cm
L: 14 inch

Price: 1300 - 2500 €

277 Palanquin handlebar

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Bakongo

ivory, honey brown patina, natural grained, of slightly vaulted form with a raised cuff on top, figurally carved in flat relief; there was no major road system in Kongo, small paths conntected the villages. Important people were carried in litters or chairs, in order to secure themselves on the rocky roads they held on to handles, like the present one.

H: 26,5 cm
H: 10.4 inch

Provenance
Private Collection, Belgium

Literature
Felix, Marc L. (ed.), Kongo Kingdom Art - From ritual to cutting edge, Ausst.kat., China 2003, p. 174, ill. 4,63

Sold.

278 Bell

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Bakongo

wood, dark brown shiny patina, encrusted in some areas, round form with slightly bulbous sides, decorated with an incised star motif, two openings on the underside with visible clappers, carved with a quadruped as handle, on metal base

H: 13 cm
H: 5.1 inch

Provenance
Willy Vanthomme, Belgium

Price: 700 - 1400 €

279 Standing female figure

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Bakongo

wood, shiny black patina, compact body with broad angular shoulders, both hands resting on the prominent breasts, the proportionally big head showing beautiful, regular features and a fine incised coiffure, slightly dam., inlay and mirror glass of the eyes now missing, cracks (forehead, upper part of the body and back) spread with blackish mass, paint rubbed off, missing parts (foot tips, base), on block-like mount; pesumably a magical figure "nkisi nduda". Although there is no cavity in the body for insertion of magical substances, the medicine could have been contained in separate packages attached to the body.

H: 19 cm
H: 7.5 inch

Provenance
Adam Prout, Worcestershire, Great Britain

Price: 2300 - 4500 €

280 Power figure "nkisi nduda"

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Bakongo

wood, dark brown patina, plant fibers, mirror glass, short arms worked close to the body, the receptacle in front of the abdomen and the headgear filled with magical material, animal horn, the eyes inset with glass, min. dam., rep. (base), traces of insect caused damage, cracks, slight signs of abrasion, on wooden base; as soon as the magical material "bilongo" was inserted by the witchdoctor, the object was considered to be "magically loaded" and its power "nkisi" could be activated by certain incantations. The "nkisi nduda" were not especially adorned. Of real importance was their magic effectiveness and their ability of fortune-telling. They were used for warding off witchcraft, diseases and thieves. Bad spirits or humans being ill-disposed towards others should be banished by the reflexion of the mirror glass in order to be destroyed by the magic material affixed to the figure. They were veiled, when not in use.

H: 23 cm
H: 9.1 inch

Provenance
Coll. Sol & Josephine Levitt, New York, USA
Alain Naoum, Brussels, Belgium

Literature
Lehuard, Raoul, Art Bakongo, Les Centres de Style, o.O. 1989, p. 243

Price: 6500 - 12000 €