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African art items:


We offer you a large selection of unique pieces of African art. Coming from private collections or purchased directly “in situ”, these works are the subject of a special study to determine their provenance as well as their conditions of acquisition. We make it a point of honor to offer our customers quality works of African art, old or contemporary, acquired within the framework of an ethical market. It is the history of these pieces that we invite you to discover through our gallery and websites.

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Hopi Doll
African art > African Dolls > Hopi Doll

Ex-French collection of tribal art . Animating the traditions of the Hopi Indian peoples of Arizona, the Katsinam sculpted objects (sing. Kachina ) intervene during traditional dances accompanying the annual festivals in favor of rain. The traditional Kachinam dolls are, for the Pueblo Native American group (Hopi, Zuni, Tewa Village, Acoma Pueblo and Laguna Pueblo), educational tools offered to children at the end of ritual festivals. These statuettes, embodying a great diversity of spirits, represent the katchina dancers and the colors are associated with the cardinal points. The polychrome patina is matte and velvety, minor accidents.


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290.00

Bembe Mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Bembe Mask

This African mask was used during the tribal ritual of the male society Kalunga, Alunga, exercising social control over the clan, and responsible for public dances and pre-hunting ceremonies. A mask embodying the god Alunga, it has four large concave orbits with a conical pupil in relief. Between the orbits a circular opening is the mouth. Evocation of a spirit of the forest, this mask was preserved in sacred caves and it was during the festivals associated with hunting and the cults of ancestors that it was exhibited. Masks of the same type also appeared during the circumcision ceremonies of the Bwami . Patina polychrome mate.
The Bembe is a Luba branch line that is believed to have left Congo in the 18th century. Their society and artistic tendency are influenced by their ...


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240.00

Chokwe spoon
African art > Spoons, ladles > Chokwe spoon

Belgian collection of African art .
The regalia of the Tchokwe in African art
Chokwe ritual spoon with a meticulously sculpted anthropomorphic handle. Velvety brown patina. Of Lunda origin, the Lwena , Luena, emigrated from Angola to Zaire in the 19th century, pushed back by the Chokwe. Some became slave traders, others, the Lovale, found refuge in Zambia. The Lwena became known for their sculptures embodying figures of ancestors and deceased chiefs, and their masks linked to the initiation rites of the mukanda . Their sculpture was largely influenced by that of the Chokwe. Source: "Chokwe", B. Wastiau


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150.00

Yaka Kholuka Mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Yaka Kholuka Mask

Collection of African Belgian art.
This Yaka Kholuka mask, said of circumcision and initiation of young boys, marks the end of the period of confinement. These African masks represent various degrees of the hierarchy of initiates, and as the personal imagination can express itself freely in them, they are very varied. The set is well preserved. The representation of the upturned nose is quite characteristic of the Yaka ethnic group. The headdress is emblematic of the ethnic group. Yaka society is extremely hierarchical and authoritarian. The head of lineage indeed has the right of life and death over his subjects. As often, the artistic movement of the ethnic group was influenced by neighboring populations. For the Yaka, the influence comes mainly from the Suku and Kongo ethnic ...


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390.00

Senoufo slingshot
African art > Used objects, pulleys, boxes, loom, awale > Senoufo slingshot

Former Belgian collection of African art African slingshot with Senufo mask motif. Satin brown patina. Height on base: 16 cm.
Representations of hybrid beings, the zoomorphic African masks of the Senufo are worn by members of the Poro society, an institution that controls political and economic life. Their function is to honor the elders or appear at funerals, hence their name, poniugo , "funeral head". Living in a reserved neighborhood, the Senufo sculptor, whose training lasted seven years, began by making everyday objects, then, little by little, displayed sculptures of increasingly larger sizes. Initiation rituals completed his apprenticeship.


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75.00

Ashanti doll
African art > African Dolls > Ashanti doll

Used by the Ashanti and the Fantis of Ghana, the Akuaba doll-statuettes (plural Akua'mma) are amulets used by Ashanti women to promote fertility. They are easily identifiable by their stylized appearance. Their flat, circular head has a high forehead occupying the upper part, the features are generally drawn in the lower third of the head. A mark of beauty, the ringed neck also symbolizes prosperity. Worn on the backs of women, these statues are also accompanied by various rites, such as the ingestion of a potion, or the arrangement of the object on the family altar. After the birth of the child, the sculpture serves as a toy, and sometimes still offered to the healer in order to witness its effectiveness. Smooth black patina, abrasions.


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160.00

Nkisi fetish
African art > The fetish, this emblematic object of primitive art > Nkisi fetish

Belgian collection of African tribal art.
African fetish Nkisi, nkishi (pl. mankishi) in the form of a bust statuette. This type of sculpture was intended for personal use. The top is pierced with a cavity in which residues remain. Satin black patina, desiccation crack, missing parts.
The Nkisi, loaded with magical ingredients, plays the role of mediator between god and men, responsible for protecting against various evils. Large examples are the collective property of an entire village, and smaller figures belong to an individual or a family. In the 16th century, the Songyes migrated from the Shaba region to settle on the left bank of the Lualaba. Their society is organized in a patriarchal manner. Their history is inseparable from that of the Luba to whom they are related ...


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150.00

Kwele mask
African art > animal mask > Kwele mask

Ex-French collection of African art .
African mask with an animal character used during specific dances. Its zoomorphic character evokes the spirits of the forest. Abraded two-tone patina, desiccation crack. Height on base: 74 cm.
A tribe of the Kota group, the Kwélé, Bakwélé, live in the forest on the northern border of the Republic of Congo. They live from hunting, agriculture and metallurgy. Practicing the cult called Bwété borrowed from the Ngwyes, which was accompanied by obligatory initiation rites, they used at the end of the ceremonies the ekuk masks evoking the antelope whose horns join in a loop under the chin. The blood of the antelope was also used by the Kwélé for therapeutic purposes. They produce rare statues linked to the initiation rites of young people.


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180.00

Baule Slingshot
African art > Used objects, pulleys, boxes, loom, awale > Baule Slingshot

Former French collection of African art.
Slingshot or slingshot with human motif, pretty satin patina.
Children used this type of tool for hunting small game.
In Côte d'Ivoire, the most ordinary African objects had to meet aesthetic criteria. Furniture, finery, utensils, fabrics, are a pretext for refined artistic expression on the part of artisans and sculptors. The latter, mainly farmers, practice this activity as a complement. Some of them also produce pieces for neighboring ethnic groups.


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75.00

Ekoi mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Ekoi mask

From a wickerwork base rises a carved wooden subject stretched with leather. The headdress is made of human hair, the teeth of metal. The dancer's costume was made of a large lattice of raffia cords, and, more recently, of cotton fabric. The masks were coated with palm oil before use, and placed in daylight so that their leather would soften and adopt a satisfactory luster. Leopard societies, such as the male society Kpe, Ngbe among the Aro, used this model of crests for initiation ceremonies or funerals of members of the association, but also during agricultural rituals. This type of African cephalomorphic mask, which would originally represent the trophy head of an enemy, is found among the Efik, the Keaka, the Banyang, the Boki, Ibibio, etc. These African masks were originally ...


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240.00

Yoruba scepter
African art > Stick of command, chieftaincy > Yoruba scepter

Yoruba scepter-altar composed of various animal and human subjects. The Yoruba religion is based on artistic sculptures with coded messages (aroko). These spirits are supposed to intercede with the supreme god Olodumare. Some subjects also represent flutists in reference to divinities associated with divination. The figure in blue with its double axe refers to the god Sango. Polychrome patina flaking, minor losses and cracks.
The Yoruba, more than 20 million, occupy the southwest of Nigeria and the central and southeast region of Benin under the name of Nago. They are patrilineal, practice excision and circumcision. Centered on its multiple gods or orisa, the Yoruba religion is illustrated by its altars on which sacrifices are practiced. Arts and coded messages, àroko, are thus ...


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390.00

Bronze bracelet
African art > Bronze, leopard, messenger, warrior, statue, pirogues > Bronze bracelet

Ex. Belgian collection of African art .
Traditional African adornment, topped with animal motifs, which could also be part of the dowry. Sold on a base. Height on base: 18 cm.
The Dogon blacksmiths form an endogamous caste among the Dogon called irim. Today they produce weapons, tools, and also work wood. "Masters of fire" associated in the Dogon cosmogony with the primordial beings "Nommo" created by the god Ama, they are also supposed to heal burns. Small metal objects, made using the lost wax technique, were widespread in the region of the inner Niger Delta, copper arriving there thanks to trans-Saharan trade. Excavations on the Bandiagara plateau have in fact uncovered remains of steelmaking sites dating back to before the 15th century, the date of the arrival of the ...


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150.00

Kasongo fetish
African art > The fetish, this emblematic object of primitive art > Kasongo fetish

Belgian collection of African tribal art The therapeutic statuettes of the Kasongos, used by healers, were inspired by Songye fetishes. The magic charge, composed of ingredients of various origins, was inserted into the cavity of the head. The highly stylized subject was coated with white pigments, giving the surface a velvety finish. Matte patina. Abrasions from use.
The Kusu established on the left bank of the Lualaba have borrowed the artistic traditions of the Luba and the Hemba and have a caste system similar to that of the Luba. The Kasongos form a Kusu subgroup, now dispersed among the Luba, Songye and Hemba. The singiti statues were kept by the fumu mwalo and honored during ceremonies during which sacrifices were offered to them. In parallel with the authority of the ...


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95.00

Punu Mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Punu Mask

French collection of African art, the name of the collector will be communicated to the purchaser.
In primitive art, this tribal mask from Gabon was linked to the country's various secret societies, such as the Bwiti, the Bwete, and the Mwiri ("to lead"). The latter included several levels of initiation and was composed of all Punu men, its emblem being the caiman. Unlike the Tsogo, the Punu did not use any masks during Bwiti rituals. These powerful secret societies, which also had a judicial role, were marked by several dances, including the leopard dance, the Esomba, the Mukuyi, and the Okuyi dance, performed on stilts, which remained the most popular. This facial mask, whitened with kaolin and representing a deceased woman, was worn during the dance called Okuyi.


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150.00

Punu Mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Punu Mask

Influenced by Kongo culture, the Punu and Lumbu sculpted African masks coated with white kaolin such as this example of the Punu style topped with a double central shell. Female mask, its facial decorations refer to the scarifications in use. Erosions, colored highlights.
The white African masks of Gabon, itengi, (pl. bitengi) were associated with the various secret societies of Gabon, including the Bwiti, Bwete, and the Mwiri ("to lead" ), the latter spanning several levels of initiation, to which all Punu men belonged. In some villages, at dawn or dusk, the Okuyi dance was accompanied by songs in an esoteric language that only initiates could understand. (Punu, L. Perrois and C. Grand-Dufay)


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150.00

Kota reliquary
African art > Reliquaries, statues > Kota reliquary

French Collection of African Art
The Kota reside in the eastern region of Gabon, rich in iron ore, as well as in parts of the Republic of Congo. The blacksmith, in addition to wood carving, made tools for agricultural work and ritual weapons. The sculptures, serving as a "medium" between the living and the dead who protected descendants, were linked to the bwete rites, similar to those of the Fang. Sometimes, these sculptures are two-sided, called mbulu-viti, representing both the masculine and feminine aspects. This type of piece, known as ngulu, served as a "guardian" of the relics placed above the baskets containing the remains of ancestors of high lineage. During ceremonies reserved for initiates only, the major decisions of the clan were made, during which the reliquaries ...


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170.00

Yombe Staff
African art > Stick of command, chieftaincy > Yombe Staff

Inspired by Pfemba, the female effigy at the top of this clan emblem embodies the mediating ancestor figure. The Yombe decorated their textiles, mats and loincloths, with this type of diamond pattern repeated on the bust. These signs associated with proverbs glorified work and social unity. This type of phemba statuette, pfemba, also decorated the top of prestigious walking sticks, mwala.
Satin brown patina.
Belonging to the Kongo group, the Yombe are established on the west coast of Africa, in the southwest of the Republic of Congo and in Angola. Their statuary includes remarkable maternities. Source: "the Kongo gesture" Ed. Dapper Museum and "Treasures of Africa" ​​Tervuren Museum.


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280.00

Kifwebe mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Kifwebe mask

African Art Songye
The African initiation masks of the Songye .
In the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo, this type of female mask "kalyanga" which offers finely striated planes accentuating its volumes, is still worn today with a long costume and a long beard of natural fibers, during masked rituals. Matte patina, minor abrasions and desiccation cracks.
Height on base: 60 cm. Three variants of this type of Kifwebe mask (pl. Bifwebe) or "hunting death" (Roberts) can be distinguished: the masculine (kilume) generally with a high crest, the feminine (kikashi) with a very low crest or even absent, and finally the largest embodying power (kia ndoshi). The Songye came from the Shaba region in the DRC and settled along the Lualaba River. They are governed by the yakitengé ...


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340.00

Dan Mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Dan Mask

African mask quite similar to the "Déanglé", haloed with a bead of fabric covered with rope. The gaze is underlined, the projecting mouth reveals the teeth. Irregular surface, velvety patina, kaolin residue.
It was following dreams in which the spirits would manifest themselves that the masks were sculpted according to precise indications, in order to be honored through their appearances.
The Dan masks, of various designs, generally occur during very theatrical entertainment parties where women play a preponderant role. The so-called "mocking" mask called Déanglé defines an ideal of beauty and benevolence because it is sculpted in honor of the young girls of the village or famous men. Each of the masks had a name related to its function. Also used during circumcision rites, ...


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170.00

Mangbetu Bronze
African art > Bronze, leopard, messenger, warrior, statue, pirogues > Mangbetu Bronze

The fan-shaped headdress of this female figure was worn by the Mangbetu: from a very young age, children underwent compression of the skull using raffia ties. Later, the hair was "knitted" on wicker strands and a headband was applied to the forehead in order to extract the hair and produce this characteristic headdress. The elders called beli these figures of ancestors stored out of sight and comparable to those belonging to their secret society nebeli. The statuette takes up the volumes of the Mangbetu jars. Established in the forest in northeastern Zaire, the Mangbetu kingdom expressed itself through architectural works that impressed European visitors in the 19th century. Their furniture, weapons, finery and statuary were marked by a rare aesthetic quality.


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180.00

Dan Mask
African art > African mask, tribal art, primitive art > Dan Mask

Ex. French collection of African art . Copy of the African Dan mask decorated with raffia fibers, offering a mirror patina of a deep burgundy brown.
The masks equipped with round eye sockets (called gunyeya or gunye ge ), facilitating vision, are part of the set of masks of the northern Dan and are used for racing events during the dry season. The zapkei ge


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170.00