Online catalogue for the 66th tribal art auction

181 Figural Torso

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

wood, remains of a greyish brown patina, encrusted in some areas, slender body with strong arms, the right hand striking large in size, herring-bone pattern in three vertical rows on both sides of the face, dam., missing parts (weathering, insect caused damage), on base; due to the strong traces of weathering presumably a figure of the "dege dal nda" type, a so-called "sculpture of the terrace".These figures were taken out of storage for the funerals of rich men and dressed and displayed on the rooftop terrace of the deceased.

H: 38 cm, ~ 18th century
H: 15 inch, ~ 18th century

Provenance
Private Collection, France

Price: 3000 - 6000 €

182 Granary shutter

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

wood, encrusted greyish brown patina, three wooden planks, joined by metal clamps, the shutters swing open and shut on projecting pivots at the top and bottom that are set into depressions on the sill and lintel, the front completely carved with 40 small figures and geometric ornaments, horizontally subdivided into four compartments, lock complete with bolt, carved with two further figures, min. dam., fissures, minor missing parts, traces of usage, on wooden base; granaries outnumber almost all other types of buildings in Dogon villages, demonstrating the importance of preserving crops produced with the hard labor required in such a rocky landscape. Every family has several granaries, one for each of the wives and the rest for the head of the family, in which are stored millet, sorghum, rice, corn, beans etc. Personal valuables and family altars are sometimes also stored in granaries.

H: 74 cm; B: 47,5 cm
H: 29.1 inch; B: 18.7 inch

Provenance
Private Collection, Belgium (1960)
Pace Gallery, New York, USA (Inventory No. 53-0739)
Private Collection, New York, USA

Exposed in
Lasting Foundations: The Art of Architecture in Africa, The Museum for African Art, New York, Sep. 30, 2005 - Jan. 6, 2006; Charles H. Wright Museum, Detroit, 2006; Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago 2007; African-American Museum, Los Angeles 2007; National Building Museum, Washington D.C. 2007

Published in
Dogon, Pace Primitive, New York 2003, cover & ill. 20

Literature
Laude, Jean, African Art of the Dogon, New York 1973, ill. 74

Sold.

183 Tree ladder

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

wood, greyish brown patina, encrustations with clay, the natural grown form of the trunk recognizable, carved with 5 steps, fork-shaped top, the surface with strong traces of weathering and insect caused damage (above all at the bottom), on metal plate

H: 131 cm
H: 51.6 inch

Provenance
Galerie Thomas Schulze, Berlin, Germany

Literature
Ezra, Kate, Art of the Dogon, New York 1988, ill. 7

Price: 1500 - 3000 €

184 Vessel

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

wood, encrusted dark brown patina, in form of a stylized horse, carrying a bellied vessel with incised ornaments on its back, rep., min. dam., cracks, traces of insect caused damage, minor missing parts; riding or even owning a horse was always a sign for high social rank.

H: 44 cm; D: 31 cm
H: 17.3 inch; D: 12.2 inch

Provenance
Galerie Wolfgang Ketterer, München, Mai 1984, lot 20

Literature
Chemeche, George, The Horse Rider in African Art, Suffolk 2011, p. 56 ff.

Price: 1000 - 2000 €

185 Figural carved stone

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Dogon

heavy greyish stone, four-sided, one half-figure on the frontside and two further half figures on the back, simple stylized forms, slightly dam.; presumably used in the context of fertility rites.

H: 22 cm
H: 8.7 inch

Sold.

186 Zoomorphic mask

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Malinke

wood, dark brown patina, aside of small horns supporting a comb-like superstructure with 5 teeth, facial features and scarification marks as well as decorative elements made of chased metal sheet, slightly dam., minor missing parts, metal casings on top of the teeth partly missing; used in initiation ceremonies of the "ntomo" society.

H: 63 cm
H: 24.8 inch

Provenance
Private Collection, Florida, USA

Price: 1800 - 3500 €

187 Maternity

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Malinke

wood, shiny blackish brown patina, nursing a child she holds in front of the body, her head, which is slightly turned to the left, shows well-balanced facial features and a crested coiffure, min. dam., fissures, slight traces of abrasion, on wooden base; there are only few figures, which can be attributed to the Malinke. They show a stylistic mixture influenced by the sculptural tradition of the Bamana, Mossi and Dogon. The Malinke, Marka, Bamana and Minianka of the Senegal and Niger River valleys in southwest Mali have much in common: they are agriculturalists, they all use Manding or a Manding-related language and their societies are organized in age group associations "ton".

H: 69 cm
H: 27.2 inch

Provenance
Coll. Carl Otto Hultén, Malmö, Sweden (member of the Cobra-Group)

Price: 5000 - 10000 €

188 Mask "kore"

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Marka

wood, matt patina, of oval hollowed form, carved with a narrow face with elongated chin, completely coated with punched metal sheet, long eyelashes made from real hair, remains of a bonnet on the back, dam., missing parts through insect caused damage, on metal base; all along the Niger this mask type is used for ceremonies associated with fishing and agriculture. The Marka are divided into the Marka, or Soninke Marka, living in Mali, and the Dafing or Dafing-Marka, settling in Burkina Faso. Both groups are cultivating different mask traditions, very similiar to those of the surrounding ethnic groups.

H: 38 cm
H: 15 inch

Provenance
Alfons Bermel, Berlin, Germany
French Collection
Wolfgang Nerlich, Munich, Germany

Sold.

189 Anthropomorphic initiation figure

This object is not available any more.

Papua New Guinea, Mimika

light-weighted wood (of a mangrove-like tree), white pigment remains, abstract form, the head with beak-like snout and high-towering pointed tip, min. dam., cracks, slight traces of abrasion, on base; probably depicting a pregnant woman. The Kamoro or Mimika live at the southern coast of West-Papua New Guinea. Their tribal name literally means "living" and "true people", whereby they want to confine against the dead, plants, spirits and animals. They are especially known for their "yamate" ceremonial boards of recently deceased ancestors, as well as for their big spirit poles "mbitoro". Figures are quite rare !

H: 54 cm
H: 21.3 inch

Provenance
Dutch Private Collection

Literature
Smidt, Dirk (ed.), Kamoro Art, Amsterdam 2003, p. 132

Price: 500 - 1000 €

190 Neckrest

This object is not available any more.

Mali, Tellem

light brown wood, matt patina, carved with two columnar struts, supporting a vaulted pillow on top, min. dam., traces of abrasion; presumably a burial object. The Tellem buried their dead in communal graves in caves sealed off by mud bricks. Objects presumed to be gifts for the dead were interred with them and seem to relate to the daily activities of the deceased. Headrests with columnar struts were always associated with male skeletons.

H: 14,5 cm; L: 19 cm
H: 5.7 inch; L: 7.5 inch

Literature
Dewey, William J., Sleeping Beauties, Los Angeles 1993, p. 95

Price: 450 - 900 €