Online catalogue for the 60th tribal art auction
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381 Mask "kifwebe"
Songe, D. R. Kongo
wood, dark brown patina, of narrow overlong form with a round head and a concave hollowed facial plane, narrow slit eyes, the bulky nose and a cuboid mouth widely protruding, the facial plane coated with band tattoos, jagged in the area of the head, backside pierced around the rim, dam., paint rubbed off, minor missing parts at the rim (mouth, eyes, chin, backside at the rim), old place of repair (breakage on the right side of the head, fixed with silver metal strips and wire, additional spread with a tar-like mass); the "bifwebe" masks (sing. "kifwebe") represent a spirit being and belong to an association called "bwadi ka bifwebe". The mask is supplemented by a plaited costume and a long raffia beard. They appear at various ceremonies, as security force, or for warding off enemies in case of war. Because of the missing forehead crest, the mask is of female type "kikashi". The striped, in parts jagged pattern, presumably a hint on its origin form the eastern area of the Songe land.
H: 39,5 cm, (5091/042)
H: 15.6 inch
Provenance
Peter Loebarth, Hameln, Gemany (70's)
Literature
Hersak, Dunja, Songye, Masks and Figure Sculpture, London 1986, pl. 46
Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Das Zweite Gesicht, Afrikanische Masken aus der Sammlung Barbier-Mueller, Genf, München, New York 1997, ill. 226
Price: 5500 - 10000 €
382 Small power figur "nkisi"
Songe, D. R. Kongo
woood, partly shiny, brown patina, strings of glass beads, long neck, wrapped with glass bead strings, cavity in the protruding abdomen, drilled mouth, hole in the head, min. dam., cracks, slight signs of abrasion
H: 19,5 cm, (5094/009)
H: 7.7 inch
Price: 800 - 1500 €
383 Magical half figure "nkisi"
Songe, D. R. Kongo
wood, light reddish brown patina, striking coiffure, consisting of numerous wooden plugs, pierced and thread on cotton string, the eyes inset with brass tags, drilled holes for insertion of magical material, fur loincloth (civet cat?), slightly dam., minor missing parts, paint rubbed off, traces of insect caused damage underneath, on metal plate
H: 29 cm, (5094/028)
H: 11.4 inch
Provenance
Folkhart Neidigk, Stuttgart, Germany
Price: 1000 - 2000 €
384 Small magical figure "nkisi"
This object is not available any more.
Songe, D. R. Kongo
wood, partly shiny, middle brown patina, string of glass beads, rising from a round base, an oval head with tribe-typical facial features and animal horn, remains of a plant fibre apron, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage, on wooden base
H: 35,5 cm, (5097/004)
H: 14 inch
Provenance
Jean Willy Mestdagh, Brussels, Belgium
Price: 1500 - 3000 €
385 Small magical figure "nkisi"
This object is not available any more.
Songe, D. R. Kongo
wood, only the upper part of the body visible, the lower part entirely covered by a sumptuous skirt of skin and pelt strips, tubes of fabric filled with magic material in front of the breast, the face with pointed chin covered by metal tags and thick layers of black and red clay-like mass, so that no facial features can be recognized, hole on top of the head, traces of old age and use, cracks, on base
H: 17 cm, (5124/001)
H: 6.7 inch
Provenance
John Dintenfass, New York, USA
Philippe & Lisa Laeremans, Liège, Belgium
Literature
Neyt, Francois, Songye, La redoutable Statuaire Songye d'Afrique Centrale, Ausst.kat., Brüssel 2004, p. 150 ff.
Price: 2500 - 4500 €
386 Power figure "nkisi"
This object is not available any more.
Songe, D. R. Kongo
wood, reddish brown patina, marked by a bearded face with laughing mouth, coated with copper sheet, showing a striking coiffure with flat hammered metal pieces, arranged in successive rows, apart from that, there are the customary openings in abdomen and head for insertion of magical material, slightly dam., cracks and missing parts at the base, metal sheet missing in some areas (beard, left brow), some metal pieces (coiffure), on base; the appearance of the "mankisi" (plural of "nkisi") always changes, because in the course of time new paraphernalia were affixed. There were large magical figures belonging to the whole village community, responsible for social control and for keeping political power. Aside there were family "mankisi", which were kept in the house, responsible for the protection of its inhabitants. They were passed on from one generation to the next. This small individual "mankisi" were taken along when leaving the familiar surroundings of the village.
H: 33 cm, (5098/006)
H: 13 inch
Provenance
Private Collection, Düsseldorf, Germany
Literature
Baeke, Viviane (ed.), Treasures from the Africa-Museum Tervuren, Tervuren 1995, p. 346 f.
Sold for: 3000 €
387 Male power figure "nkisi"
This object is not available any more.
Songe, D. R. Kongo
wood, reddish brown patina, string of glass beads, animal hair, rising from a square base, a round cavitiy in the abdomen containing magical mass, closed with reptile skin, the oval head with a smiling mouth and two-parted beard, elaborate coiffure and animal horn on top, min. dam., fissures, on wooden base
H: 34 cm, (5125/012)
H: 13.4 inch
Literature
Neyt, Francois, Songye, La redoutable Statuaire Songye d'Afrique Centrale, Ausst.kat., Brüssel 2004, p. 65, ill. 23
Sold for: 4200 €
388 Janus power figure "nkisi"
This object is not available any more.
Songe, D. R. Kongo
wood, dim dark and blackish brown patina, string of glassbeads, nearly identical figures arranged back-to-back, animal horn on top of the head, filled with magical ingredients, one figure wearing a loincloth of animal skin, slightly dam., crack, on block-like base
H: 28,5 cm, (5115/001)
H: 11.2 inch
Provenance
Private Collection, Belgium
Price: 2500 - 4500 €
389 Pipe
Songe, D. R. Kongo
wood, brown patina, metal, circular corpus, crowned by a standing male "nkisi" figure, decorated with brass tags and a blue necklace, min. dam., missing parts (left arm), fissures, signs of usage, on wooden base
H: 43,5 cm, (4812/005)
H: 17.1 inch
Provenance
Private Collection, Great Britain
Price: 1000 - 2000 €
390 Standing male magical figure "nkisi"
Songe, D. R. Kongo
wood, reddish brown patina, with short legs rising from big, plane feet, supporting a slender trunk with square shoulders and free carved arms, both big and clumsy hands resting aside the bulging abdomen, a strong columnar neck carrying a flattened head with triangular facial plane, the eyes inset with brass tags, animal horn on top of the head, slightly dam., cracks, spread with mass (right lower arm, left foot), on block-like base; the magical figures ("mankisi"; sing. "nkisi") are not conceived as objects of display but as intimate devices used for protection, healing or therapy. The determinating factor in their assessment is not visual but is rather dependent on the magical ingredients (="bishimba") concealed in the abdominal cavity, the top of the head or in a horn set into the cranium. These hidden animal, vegetal and some mineral substances aquire potency and interact with the spirit realm when assembled according to a prescribed formula by the "nganga". External attachments on magical figures are intended to augment the visual impact of the "nkisi". Reptile skins used for belts seem to relate to the status of ministers. Metal strips are said to relate to lightning. Thus on the "nkisi" this facial sign seems to signal its dual capacity to counteract and redirect aggressive action against the evildoer.
H: 25 cm (ohne Horn), (4744/003)
H: 9.8 inch (ohne Horn)
Provenance
Coll. Robert and Angelique Noortman, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Sotheby's, Amsterdam, 18. December 2007, lot 364
Literature
Neyt, Francois, Songye, La redoutable Statuaire Songye d'Afrique Centrale, Ausst.kat., Brüssel 2004, ill. 100 f.
Price: 7000 - 14000 €
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