Online catalogue for the 63rd tribal art auction with special part 'wunderkammer'

371 Standing male ancestor figure

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

reddish brown wood, black encrusted patina, on fragmentary post, the high towering slender body arranged slightly asymmetrical and deferred, the abdomen vaulted, while shoulders and head are reclined, the body, when looked at it in profile describing a wide bow, the facial features characterized by incised diamond-shaped lines, slightly dam., cracks (both thighs, neck), traces of weathering and insect caused damage (abdomen, base), paint rubbed off, on base; present figure might represent a "dege dal nda", a so-called "sculpture of the terrace", or a figure called "vageu", which was displayed on a family altar. Figures of the first type are taken out of storage for the funerals of rich men and dressed and displayed on the rooftop terrace of the deceased. For the rest of the time they were stored in the house of the "hogon". Figures of the second type were placed aside the body of important deceased clan members in order to absorb a good deal of their "nyama", the spiritual forces of the dead. Afterwards the spiritually strengthened figure was returned to the shrine, where now sacrifices could be made to obtain and secure health and fecundity. The figure forms a connecting line between the living and the spirits of their ancestors, including the founding father of the clan.

H: 83 cm, presumably 18th century
H: 32.7 inch, presumably 18th century

Provenance
Valluet-Ferrandin, Paris, France
Alain Bovis, Paris, France

Published in
African Sculpture from Private Collections in London, An exhibition selected by Ian Auld and & Tom Phillips, 19 October to 8 November 1979, South London Art Gallery, ill. 3

Literature
Ezra, Kate, Art of the Dogon, Selections from the Lester Wunderman Collection, Metropolitan Museum, New York 1988, p. 52
Roy, Christopher D., Die Dogon von Mali und Ober-Volta, München 1983, p. 14

Price: 60000 - 120000 €

372 Post of a "togu na"

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

wood, greyish and reddish brown patina, traces of black paint, square post with fork-shaped top, carved with a stylized androgynous figure in half relief, dam., missing part (hole above the figure), traces of insect caused damage (fork-shaped top), on metal plate; "togu na" describes a refuge, build for the male village eldest. Its an open construction with vertical elements supporting a thatched roof. In ideal case it consists of 8 posts arranged in sinuous line, referring to the 8 ancestors of "nommo". The roof is low , so that the men have to sit during the assemblage, but keeps them cool.

H: 153 cm
H: 60.2 inch

Provenance
Coll. Pierre Langlois, Paris, France

Literature
Phillips, Tom (Hg.), Afrika, Die Kunst eines Kontinents, Berlin 1996, p. 511, ill. 6.25

Price: 6000 - 12000 €

373 Mask "satimbe"

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

light brown wood, matt greyish brown patina, characterized by big rectangular pierced eyes, crowned by an unusual large standing female figure with accentuated breasts, pierced around the rim, dam., rep. (left arm), missing parts through insect caused damage (mask, right hand), fissures; the carvers of Dogon masks wore their own masks during ritual performances. The costume consisted of fibers covering nearly the whole body. The mask should catch and control the vital force, which could become dangerous when being allowed to roam around.

H: 94 cm
H: 37 inch

Provenance
Galerie Carrefour, Paris, France

Literature
Bilot, Alain, Masques du pays Dogon, Paris 2001, p. 141
Homberger, Lorenz (Hg.), Die Kunst der Dogon, Museum Rietberg Zürich 1995, p. 127

Price: 5500 - 10000 €

374 Apes mask

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

wood, matt, spotty patina, of slender form with pointed chin, combining human and animal features, the facial plane dominated by a prominent nose and small round ears, min. dam., fissures, slight traces of abrasion, on wooden base; while the sculptures are carved by the blacksmiths, the masks are carved by young men of the "awa" society. All masks belong to the "awa" society and appear during the so-called "dama" burial ceremonies, which take place every two or three years in honour of the deceased. They depict animals, objects or humans and are made of plant fibres, fabric or wood.

H: 37,5 cm
H: 14.8 inch

Provenance
Old Collection, France

Literature
Bilot, Alain, Masques du pays Dogon, Paris 2001, p. 93, ill. 30

Price: 10000 - 20000 €

375 Quadruped

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

wood, reddish brown patina, of stylized form, rising from bulky legs, probably depicting a dog, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage, cracks, on base

H: 10,5 cm; L: 34 cm
H: 4.1 inch; L: 13.4 inch

Provenance
Dr. A. J. Jansen, The Netherlands

Literature
Laude, Jean, African Art of the Dogon, New York 1973, ill. 54

Price: 800 - 1700 €

376 Quadruped

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

wood, mat greyish brown patina, short legs supporting a stocky body, head with hardly recognizable facial features, min. dam., missing part (forelegs), fissures, on wooden base; when the migrating Dogon arrived at the edge of the Bandiagara Cliff, they came into conflict with the Tellem, who jealously concealed the location of wells and water holes. Exhausted by their journey and parched by the draught, the Dogon saw one of their dogs come running with wet paws. They occupied the watering place discovered by the animal and, thus refreshed, were able to dislodge the Tellem from the Cliff. Depictions of dogs commemorate this important event in dogon history.

H: 7 cm; L: 20,5 cm
H: 2.8 inch; L: 8.1 inch

Literature
Laude, Jean, African Art of the Dogon, New York 1973, ill. 54

Price: 1000 - 2000 €

377 Iron necklace "amma talu" or "nommo koro" with stone bead

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

longish links with circular intermediate pieces, pendant of greyish-green cylindric stone bead (of neolithic times), regular formed and drilled in whole length, traces of corrosion (chain links); such pendants of polished stones were called "dugo". They were looked upon as "signs of alliance" between the wearer and a spiritual power. All Dogon men and women wear necklaces with "dugo" pendants that connect them to the immediate ancestor whose spirit they have inherited. Some individuals also wear "dugo" to indicate their roles as priests. "Hogons" for example, the supreme religious authorities of the Dogon, are priests of Lebe and wear "dugo" necklaces that ally them with this mythic ancestor.

L: 130 cm (Gesamtlänge der Kette), L: 8,5 cm (Steinperle)
L: 51.2 inch (Gesamtlänge der Kette), L: 3.3 inch (Steinperle)

Provenance
Ch. Krüger, Vienna, Austria

Literature
Ezra, Kate, Art of the Dogon, Selections from the Lester Wunderman Collection, Metropolitan Museum, New York 1988, p. 104 f.

Price: 900 - 1800 €

378 Figural pendant

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

brass, patina, two stylized figures in nearly identical postures arranged side by side, two eyelets for support backside, on metal base; because of the embryonal posture presumably representing the twin being "nommo" from the genesis of the Dogon. "Nommo" should protect of all kind of misfortune. Possibly deriving from Djenné culture.

H: 5 cm
H: 2 inch

Provenance
Ernst-Olof Siré, Forchheim, Germany

Sold.

379 Anthropomorphic pendant

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Djenne

brass, traces of corrosion, encrusted in some areas, in shape of a squatting figure with tube-like limbs, eyelet for support, cuboid metal base; the classical period of the Djenné culture comprises the period of time between the 12th and the 16th century.

H: 5,4 cm
H: 2.1 inch

Literature
Glar, Wilfried, Die materialisierte Kultur der Ethnien der Volta-Region, Bedburg 2008, p. 23

Price: 800 - 1500 €

380 Finger ring

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Djenne

brass, extremely corroded, encrusted surface, disc-shaped ornament with thorn-like projection, remains of fabric, crack (disc-shaped ornament), metal base; the ring could as well have been worn on a toe, used for driving on a horse.

H: 7,5 cm; D: 4 cm
H: 3 inch; D: 1.6 inch

Literature
Glar, Wilfried, Die materialisierte Kultur der Ethnien der Volta-Region, Bedburg 2008, p. 25, p. 28

Sold.