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

531 Squatting figure

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Holo

wood, partly encrusted brown patina, blackened in parts, a band of plaited plant fibres around the neck, hole on top of the head, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion; the Holo are a small ethnical group, living in the borderland between Zaire and Angola. In the course of their history they were exposed to various influences. The Pende crossed their realm, the Kongo introduced the sacred kaolin and their masquerades are adopted from the Yaka.

H: 14 cm
H: 5.5 inch

Sold.

532 Sitting bearded male figure

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Kanyok

wood, shiny reddish brown patina, reduced forms, elaborate carved facial features, burled coiffure, hole on top of the head, slightly dam., cracks (both sides of the head, base), hole (left shoulder), on block-like base; the Kanyok today are located in the oriental province of Kasai. Their sculpture is mainly known for it's anecdotical "genre" pieces representing people in various postures such as woman at work, embracing couples or prisoners etc. There is nothing known about the function of present figure, presumably its meant to be a protective figure and the hole in the parting served for insertion of magical mass.

H: 11 cm
H: 4.3 inch

Provenance
Pierre Dartevelle, Brussels, Belgium (1980)
Leo van Oosterom, The Hague, The Netherlands

Price: 3800 - 8000 €

533 Standing figure

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Kuba

wood, shiny dark brown patina, reddish pigment remains, a long neck carved with rings supporting an oval head with harmonical facial features and elaborate coiffure, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion, on base

H: 37 cm
H: 14.6 inch

Provenance
Old Private Collection, France

Price: 2000 - 4000 €

534 Double cup

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Kuba

wood, shiny brown patina, simple formed cups, grown together, carved with bow-shaped handle decorated with a human face, coated with fine incised ornaments in relief, min. dam., fissures, slight traces of abrasion

H: 12,5 cm
H: 4.9 inch

Provenance
Old Private Collection, Switzerland

Sold.

535 Anthropomorphic cup "mbwoong ntey"

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Kuba

wood, slightly encrusted, shiny dark brown patina, tribe-typical facial features and scarification marks, min. dam., fissures, slight traces of abrasion; used for ritual purposes for palm wine, which is why such cups were made of precious wood and were carved with special care.

H: 15, 5cm
H: 15, 2 inch

Provenance
Christies, Paris, 16. Juni 2009, lot 258

Literature
Felix, Marc L., 100 Peoples of Zaire and their Sculpture, The Handbook, Brüssel 1987, p. 63, ill. 21

Sold.

536 Box

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Kuba

wood, dark brown patina, sickle-shaped, carved with typical, elaborate Kuba ornaments, pigment remains inside, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion; Kuba women owned sickle-shaped boxes to keep cosmetics, needles, beads and other personal belongings.

L: 30 cm; B: 14 cm
L: 11.8 inch; B: 5.5 inch

Literature
Ginzberg, Marc, Afrikanische Formen, Mailand 2001, p. 70

Price: 600 - 1200 €

537 Footrest

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Kuba

wood, middle brown patina, in shape of a lizard, flat upper side, striated pattern on both sides, dam., minor missing parts, cracks, water spots; from the property of a chieftain, sitting on a throne his feet rested on such a footrest, for he was not allowed to get them in touch with the ground.

L: 39,5 cm; H: 8 cm
L: 15.6 inch; H: 3.1 inch

Provenance
Coll. Frank Bohart, Tielt, Belgium

Sold.

538 Mask "pwoom itok"

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Kuba

wood, geometrical ornaments in polychrome paint, conical protruding eyes, enclosed by drilled holes, min. dam., cracks, slight traces of abrasion, on base; this mask is known as "pwoom itok", "ishendemala", "ishyeenmaal" or "shene malula". It can be found among various Kuba groups, including the Bushoong and the Ngeende. It appears during the young men´s initiation and also performs as a dance mask. It incarnates an old wise man who is consulted by the other dancers. Among the Bushong it is worn by members of the "babende" secret society, which is responsible for the apprehension of criminals.

H: 27 cm
H: 10.6 inch

Provenance
Coll. Klinkmöller, Berlin, Germany

Literature
Herreman, Frank, Petridis, Constantijn (Hg.), Face of the Spirits, Masks from the Zaire Basin, Tervuren 1993, p. 138

Price: 2000 - 4000 €

539 Pair of masks "nsembu"

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Kumu

wood, white, red and black pigment, of elongated oval hollowed form, characterized by sharp cut horizontal brows, the short noses closely flanked by pierced eyes, subdivided in compartments with alternating paint, drilled holes around the rim, slightly dam., paint rubbed off, small traces of insect caused damage

H: 31 cm und 33,5 cm, coll. in situ
H: 12.2 inch und 13.2 inch, coll. in situ

Provenance
Coll. Schuhmann, coll. in situ (~ 1970)

GVR Archives Registration No.
0075056 and 0075057

Literature
Felix, Marc L., 100 Peoples of Zaire and their Sculpture, The Handbook, Brüssel 1987, ill. 1
Schädler, Karl-Ferdinand, Lexikon Afrikanische Kunst und Kultur, München, Berlin 1994, p. 240

Price: 3500 - 8000 €

540 Mask "nsembu"

This object is not available any more.

D. R. Congo, Kumu

wood, reddish brown patina, black pigment, of flat oval form, eyes and mouth cut out, the contours accentuated by black paint, drilled holes at the chin with remains of a plant fibre beard, dam., missing parts (left eye, backside around the rim), cracks, paint rubbed off, drilled holes in the forehead area, on metal base; the Kumu live in the northeastern Zaire, south of the Ituri rainforest. The most important objects are their masks called "nsembu", which are used by the "nkunda" society of sorcerers and sooth sayers. Male and female pairs appear separate or on panels together. They are used by the "nkunda" society of sorcerers who call upon the primordial ancestors for purposes of social control.

H: 41,5 cm
H: 16.3 inch

Provenance
Private Collection, Belgium

Literature
Felix, Marc L., 100 Peoples of Zaire and their Sculpture, The Handbook, Brüssel 1987, p. 65

Price: 6000 - 12000 €