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

411 Chimpanzee mask "kagle"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Dan

wood, dark brown patina, the face enclosed by a roof-like protruding forehead, tapering cheeks on both sides and a flat chin projection, drilled holes in the upper lip, slightly dam., minor missing parts, cracks (backside), on metal base; important requisites of the mask figure were bundles of hooked branches, used to annoy the audience. According to the hooked branch "ka" the mask is called "kagle". All "kagle" mask figures have proper names, some are called "klua", according to the chimpanzee, others bare the name of some animal or a certain activity.

H: 23 cm
H: 9.1 inch

Price: 1600 - 3000 €

412 Mask

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Bete

wood, partly shiny dark brown patina, metal tags, the facial plane arranged in horizontal levels, eye-catching: two pairs of eyes, curved alar wings and an open mouth with inset teeth, pierced around the rim, cracks, minor missing parts, slight traces of abrasion, on base; the Bete are an ethnical group of around 800000 people, living in the southwestern part of the Ivory Coast. They are mostly known for a mask type with several protruding horns, rather resembling a knights helmet with ventail. This mask type was originally used by warriors. In later times the mask appeared at funeral ceremonies or in honour of important persons.

H: 26,5 cm
H: 10.4 inch

Provenance
Alex Arthur, Brussels, Belgium

Literature
Galerie Helene Kamer (Hg.), Guere-Wobe-Bete, Paris 1978, ill. 19

Price: 5000 - 10000 €

413 Mask with movable jaw "bugle"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Dan

wood, dark brown patina, encrustations with clay-like mass in some areas, a bulging forehead and cheeks with the tubular eyes embedded inbetween (partly modelled of clay-like mass), the beak-like projecting mouth with single teeth, metal loops, wooden plugs, slightly dam., missing parts (lower jaw, eyes), traces of insect caused damage, missing part (on the upper rim backside), on base; "bugle" are warrior mask figures, who prepared men for war or led them into the fight. The costume frequently consists of a feather headdress, a dark coloured tippet and raffia skirt. The dark encrusted patina comes from colanut and blood sacrifices.

H: 27 cm
H: 10.6 inch

Provenance
Rene Guyot, Neuchâtel, Switzerland (coll. in situ, 1960's)
Craig de Lora, New Jersey, USA

Literature
Fischer, Eberhard, Himmelheber, Hans, Die Kunst der Dan, Museum Rietberg, Zürich 1976, p. 95 f., ill. 75

Price: 8000 - 15000 €

414 Big ceremonial spoon "wa ke mia"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Dan

wood, blackish brown shiny patina, kaolin, an oval bowl-shaped deepened spoon, incised herringbone pattern on the underside, handle in shape of a human head with striking naturalistic facial features, slightly dam., paint rubbed off, small traces of insect caused damage (underside right hand side), on base; part of the belongings of a "wunkirle", a married highly esteemed woman of the village. The big spoons are signs of dignity, they were exclusively used for the ritual carrying of rice. The "wunkirle" had to prepare meals for feasts in the circumcision camps as well as on great days and for every visitor of the village. In order to meet this demand she needs a helping spirit, which is manifested in the big spoon "wa ke mia".

H: 52 cm
H: 20.5 inch

Provenance
René Rasmussen, Paris, France
Jan Lundberg, Malmö, Sweden

Literature
Fischer, Eberhard, Himmelheber, Hans, Die Kunst der Dan, Museum Rietberg, Zürich 1976, p. 157 f.

Price: 8000 - 15000 €

415 Female figure "mi iri nä"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Guro

wood, reddish brown patina, dark brown and white pigment, crested coiffure with clamp-like arranged lobes enclosing the face, raised scarification marks across the forehead, the big mouth and the bulky bracelets accentuated with kaolin, slightly dam. (nose, ears, crested coiffure), cracks (breast, abdomen, both sides of the head), spread with clay-like mass, on block-like base; the Guro call figural sculptures "mi iri nä" - "small wooden persons". They are not associated with the ancestral cult. As ritual objects they are rather displayed on special shrines, called "zuzu". "Zuzu" are invisible spiritual beings, who are thought to be able to defend the crops and the house from evil spirits. The small wooden figures are mediators between the "zuzu" and the humans. Regularly they receive dishes with fresh cooked food in order to keep the spirits well-disposed.

H: 48,5 cm
H: 19.1 inch

Provenance
Private Collection, The Hague, The Netherlands

Literature
Homberger, Lorenz, Fischer, Eberhard, Die Kunst der Guro, Elfenbeinküste, Museum Rietberg, Zürich 1985, p. 227 f., ill. 144

Sold.

416 Female figure "mi iri nä"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Guro

wood, dull blackish patina, traces of kaolin, broad asymmetrical shoulders, free carved elongated arms, skin scarification marks on abdomen and face, slightly dam. (nose, mouth, coiffure), missing parts (both foot tips), cracks, acrylic base

H: 41 cm
H: 16.1 inch

Literature
Meyer, Piet, Kunst und Religion der Lobi, Museum Rietberg, Zürich 1981, p. 227 f.

Price: 800 - 1600 €

417 Heddle pulley

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Guro

light brown wood, shiny brown patina, a horseshoe-shaped corpus carved with a columnar neck, crowned by an oval head with fine facial features, scarification marks and elaborate coiffure, hole on top of the head, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion, on wooden base

H: 17,5 cm
H: 6.9 inch

Provenance
Galerie D' Eendt, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Literature
Homberger, Lorenz, Fischer, Eberhard, Die Kunst der Guro, Elfenbeinküste, Museum Rietberg, Zürich 1985, p. 248

Price: 800 - 1600 €

418 Antelope mask "kla"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Guro

wood, painted in black and white, traces of yellow, a nearly helmet-shaped base with the virtual mask face to the front, characterized by cantilevered horns, bar for fixing the mask with the mouth, slightly dam. (ears, nose), cracks (backside), paint rubbed off, minor traces of insect caused damage; belonging to the dye-mask ensemble, whose meaning is not entirely settled until today. The animal masks ("bohi" the goat, "glo", "zuin" and "kla" three different types of antelopes, "bolu" the hippo, "bi" the elephant, "blin" the dog and "du" the buffalo) appear at the beginning of the masquerade forming a kind of advance guard. They are said to prepare the place for dancing.

H: 53 cm
H: 20.9 inch

Provenance
Private Collection, Switzerland

Literature
E. Fischer und L. Homberger, Die Kunst der Guro, Elfenbeinküste, Museum Rietberg Zürich, 1985, p. 118, ill. 32

Sold.

419 Mask with hinged jaw "gägon"

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Kran

light brown wood, shiny black patina, of oval hollowed, narrow form, eyes originally with metal sheet framing, a triangular protruding nose with sharp-edged bridge, the beak below coated with broad stripes of long-haired black fur (ape), pierced around the rim, minor missing parts, slight traces of abrasion, on base; according to Hans Himmelheber this mask type surely had educational purposees in former times, while nowadays it is exclusively used for entertainment of the village people. The mask appeared on sunday mornings, sometimes accompanied by small orchestras.

H: 25,5 cm
H: 10 inch

Provenance
Private Collection, Luxembourg
French Collection, Strasbourg

Literature
Guenneguez, André et Afo, Art de la Cote-d'Ivoire et de ses voisins, Paris o.J., p. 47

Price: 1500 - 3000 €

420 Standing female figure

This object is not available any more.

Ivory Coast, Kulango, Region Bondoukou

wood, black paint, kaolin, remains of pigments, strings of glass beads, slender body, scarification marks on the cheeks, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion, on acrylic base; the small ethnical group of the Kulango belongs to the Volta people. Their geographical position is reflected in their works of art. Characteristic for the Kulango is the accentuation of the mostly blackened objects with white or blue pigment.

H: 44 cm
H: 17.3 inch

Sold.