Kuba figure, a workshop piece from ca. 1920-1940.
This sculpture is typical for the Ecole de Mushengé. This was a school for crafts in the Kuba capital founded by Belgian missionaries, the Josephite fathers from Ghent. The numbers at the bottom confirm this. It represents a nobleman. H. 27 cm.
A great example of early commercial carving.
Provenance: a Dutch family by descend from their grandparents who lived in Congo.
A very impressive African tribal Senufo bird statue measuring 61.75 inches high with a 25" wingspan. The bird's wings are carved in relief with images of lizards, crocodiles, turtles and birds. The body beneath the beak has a carving of a large lizard. The rest of the bird features repeated geometric carvings on front and back. In very good condition with expected splits to wood and various minor conditions associated with age...
Anthropomorphic dance figure. Wood and pigments. It has moving arms that are tied to the head. Ca. Mid 20th century or earlier. H. 73 cm. The Eket are a sub group of the Ibibio. Their material is quite rare.
Provenance:
Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam,
Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
Wonderful kneeling female Agere Ifa Figure from the Yoruba People made of wood and pigment, carrying a bowl. The figure has good age and shows much handling.
Such figures could well have been used in the divination process among the Yoruba called Ifa. Cowry shells, cola nuts, may have been kept in the bowl being carried by the woman...
Anthropomorphic Lega mask from the Kievu & Maniema region in Eastern Congo. H. 22 cm.
First half of the 20th century.
Provenance:
Hans Petereit, Cologne, Germany
Fily Keita, Los Angeles, USA
Michel Boulanger, Liège, Belgium
Goldfield Auctions, Luxembourg, 27 June 2021, Lot 105.
Guy van Rijn archive: ao-0186890-001
Superb old Benin bronze sculpture of a fish standing on 4 legs. This piece was made using the lost wax process. A must for anyone's collection, this fish has a wonderful patina and would also make a very interesting accent piece to any home decor. Measures 7" long, 4" high.
Shrine object, Yoruba, Nigeria/Benin.
H. 74 cm, mid 20th century or older.
Ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
L. 48 cm. Good condition with expected age wear, cracks, some insect damage and some damage to the left ear.
First half 20th century.
Guy van Rijn ao-0083609-001
Provenance:
Arnold Newman (1918-2006), New York, until 2006,
Robert Schrimpf, Paris,
Christie’s Paris, 2006,
Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg, 2009.
Hardwood vintage sculpture of an African ancestor image, from the Songye ethnic group, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Old piece, circa 1960s or 1970s a couple of cracks and repairs.. H: 45 cm/17.8in.
Female figurine, with typical flaring coiffe, hands posture, scarifications all over the body and truncated legs. Wood,eroded with age, with remnants of polychrome pigments. Africa, R.D. Congo, Kuba Peoples, Dengese sub-group. Height: 37 cm. Old restoratins, otherwise good condition.
SPIRIT
Primitive wood carving spiritual object with head , used by Lega people (or Warega) as a Bantu ethnic group of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Length without string: 24cm (9.44in)...
Rare and early Baule figure, made of hardwood with very fine carving. Made by a known carver. H. 32,5 cm. Early 20th century. Lovely age wear and great patina. Provenance: private collection UK.
Bamana Sukun mask
First half 20th century.
Parts of the ears and a kind of horn on the forehead are missing.
Traces of polichromy.
Rare mask with great age!
Ex Swiss private collection.
H. 40 cm
Stand included.
This 11" fetish is carved from a dark ebony colored work and has no paint work. The poultice sacks on the body are in excellent condition. Very beautiful, very desirable.
A finely carved male ibeji, with typical coiffe, scarifications on the abdomen and the back, arms alongside the torso, standing on a rounded base. Wood, with nice dark brown semi glossy patina. Africa, Nigeria/Benin, Yoruba ethnic group. Height: 30 cm. Very good condition. Provenance: Old French provincial collection.
Caryatid stool with a sitting female figure. Hardwood, h. 26 cm, diameter 23 cm. First half of the 20th century.
minor repair to one leg. The earrings have been replaced.
Provenance:
Donald Taitt, Paris,
Aponem Auction, 2019,
J.M. Desaive, Herve, Belgium
Fertility doll, called "akuaba", with its typical cross shape and flat circular head. Wood, with fine glossy patina. Africa, Ghana, Ashanti ethnic group. Height: 10" (26 cm). Old insect infestation at the back lower part (no danger), otherwise very good condition.
A very rare group from Ketu, Benin, probably used as a divination tray or as a display piece for an important Babalawo. Diameter 52 cm, H. 30 cm. Mid 20th century. The hand of one figure has been replaced.
Ex coll. Ursula Voorhuis (1932-2021), The Netherlands
Ex Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg
Guy van Rijn archive: ao-0102485-005 with comments from Ursula Voorhuis and Hans Witte.
The scene depicts the consultation of the Ifa oracle by a woman...
A heavy well cast 'bronze' figure, in traditional Benin ceremonial coral beaded costume and headress, probably made in Nigeria during the early to mid 20th Century.
Condition: excellent. The circular copper base is probably a later addition.
30cm (12 inches) high.
For additional enlargements, please view 1tem #1523 in our partially constructed Liverpool shop website at 69aliverpool.co.uk
Lovely Losso ancestor figure with an amazing patina. There is a leather band around one of the legs. H. 24,5 cm. Ex. Alain Dufour, Paris.
An African helmet mask decorated with glass beadwork from Bamum/Yoruba tribe, Cameroon. With a bird effigy. Circa 1940.
Ashanti doll, 2nd quarter of the 20th century, by a known carver. See Ron van Doorn - Herbert M. Cole : Akua’Ba Asante Wednesday Child, page 154-155. H. 24,5 cm. Provenance: private collection UK.
Early 20th century male mask with scarifications. H. 31 cm.
Ex David Utzon Frank, Denmark.
Ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
First half of the 20th century. H. 56 cm.
Ex Lucas Ratton, Paris.
Ex Jan Kusters, Eindhoven.
Ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
Custom made stand included.
Antique African Copper Bronze seated King or Oba with Rifle attributed to the Kongo peoples, Yombe group . Very well done near portrait bronze figure of probably a king holding a flint lock rifle seated in a very well made egg shaped chair. Size h 5" d 3.75" d 3.5"
Exceptional pair of African wood carvings from the Nyamwezi tribes of Central Tanzania, the larger measuring 40 1/2" high, including stand, which is 6" x 6" square and about 1 1/2" high..
Both are carved of heavy dense wood, and the forms slightly vary due to the natural shape of the tree trunk or branch from which they were carved.
They have inset white bead eyes, which is typical, especially in early figures.
The elongated forms are striking, and they both have slightly bent knees, also typ...
Small and rare fetish figure. Hardwood with feathers, glass, copper, horn, fabric. First half of the 20th century.
H. 13 cm (20 cm with the solid brass stand).
Ex. JM Desaive, Herve, Belgium.
Ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
Colorful altar from the Ketu region in Benin. Carved all around with a maternity figure and 3 other figures. At the back there is an opening with a tin frame. Probably this part was originally covered by a small door.
H. 40 cm, D 30 cm. Mid 20th century or older. Ex coll. Ursula Voorhuis (1932-2021), The Netherlands.
Guy van Rijn archive: ao-0104491-001.
Hans Witte commented about this object: this form is typical for the Oshumare shrines from Ketu...
Tugubele figures represent helpful bush spirits. The belong to the local ritual expert of the Senufo people, assisting them with their oracles and predictions.
This figure dates from the first half of the 20th century and shows good signs of use.
Provenance:
André Vanhecke, Belgium,
Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
From our African Collection: A Igbo Pipe Smoker Figure from Southeastern Nigeria. Circa 1940. 9" x 30" h. Extremely rare and in great condition.
Wood, animal teeth and hair, human hair, iron.H. 23 cm (without the beard).
Van Rijn: ao-0161468-002
Provenance:
William Siegmann, curator emeritus, Brooklyn Museum, New York.
Anthropomorpic cup, depicting a standing female. H. 21,5 cm. Rare and early piece.
Repair to the rim of the cup.
Provenance: Dutch private collection.
Rare Colon figure with blue pigments and great patina. H. 57,5 cm. Ca. Mid 20th century.
Provenance: private collection The Netherlands. More pictures a available on request.
Visit us at the Tribal Art Fair Amsterdam. www.tribalartfair.nl .
Hardwood and iron. H. 38 cm.
Provenance:
Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam,
Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
Wood covered with sheat metal. H. 30 cm. Mid 20th century. One horn repaired.
special price: from € 750 for € 300
TORSO WITH PHALLUS
Primitive wood carving torso with phallus (like a body mask, though no displaying hole), originally flown out from a collector of African tribal art in Japan, though its details unknown and just told as it's from somewhere in West Africa, early-mid 20th century. approx. W 28 x H 57.5 x D 15 cm (11.02 x 22.63 x 5.90in). Not stand on its own...
Finely carved dance crest representing a female bust with an elaborate coiffe. Wood, with glossy dark-brown patina. Africa, Nigeria, Idoma Peoples. Height: 11 1/8" (28,2 cm). The piece is nicely mounted on a custom bronze stand. Old insect infestation (no danger), otherwise very good condition. Ex. old French collection.
Light-weighted wood, made around 1950, brown patina, slightly shining, wide face with elaborate headgear, the eyes inset with glass. This figure presumably was created not as a magical figure ("nkisi"), but as a memorial figure of a female ancestor, who was donated for being the female founder of the lineage. Such sculptures, called "ngudi" (mother of the lineage), used to be kept in a basket, together with further relics belonging to the kinship...
Male and female Ibeji from Iseyin City, Oyo State., adorned with a necklace and bracelets made of glass beads and a belt made of cocunut discs. H. 26,5 cm. First half of the 20th century.
Provenance:
Dutch private collection,
Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam.
Depicting a female spouse figure ‘Blolo Bla’. H. 13 cm.
first half of the 20th century. Great age wear and patina.
Ex coll. Maine Durieu, Paris.
The Baule believe a person is married to both an earthly and a spirit spouse. This sculpture honored its owner’s spirit partner to bring peace, luck, and money. Scarifications on her face and body individualized and enhanced her idealized beauty...
A late 19th to early 20th century Montol figure with a great provenance. This hardwood female figure stands 35,5 cm tall. A very strong figure with possible influence from the Goemai, Chamba or Mumuye.
Provenance:
Collected in 1967-68 by Daniel Mato, former curator at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Professor Emeritus at the University of Calgary, department of art history.
Amyas Naegele, New York, ca. 2002.
Robert Beckman, Henderson, Nevada.
Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
Exhibited ...
Two females from the Egba sub group of the Yoruba’s. H. 23 cm. First half of the 20th century. Ex French private collection. Condition: old insect damage and some old repairs to the ears of one of the figures.
Anthropomorphic mask depicting a female. Hardwood with metal earrings. H. 24 cm. First half of the 20th century. A very fine mask with nice scarifications on the cheeks and forehead. Beautiful signs of age and a lovely patina.
Ex Roger Bergmans, Belgium.
Ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.
Comes with a beautiful metal stand by Roger Bergmans.
Elegant figure with great age. H. 30 cm. Condition: old worm holes. Early 20th century.
Provenance:
Christophe Rolley, Paris,
Srdjan Sremac, Den Haag.
Male and female figure, wood, textile and glass. H. 32,5 and 36 cm. Mid 20th century. Provenance: Madeleine and Jean-Jacques Keller (until 1980 Abidjan, afterrwards Rheinfelden, Switzerland).
Large door lock from a door of a granary. H. 53 cm. Mid 20th century.
Ex French private collection.
Interesting Yoruba figure from Eshu cult
Bottom is damaged otherwise the figure is safe
H 62 cm
more information on request
Old mask of the "gunyeya" type, used for ritual running competitions, with eyebrows in slight relief, round eyes, protruding large nose and lips, small chin. Multiple perforations around the rim for attachment of hair and beard, both missing. Wood, with fine age patina. Ivory Coast/Liberia, Dan ethnic group, first half of 20th century. Height: 25.5 cm. Small accidents, otherwise good condition. Provenance: Paris auction sale 1971.
Impressive hardwood figure from the Benue region. H. 57 cm. Mid 20th century.
Ex coll. Dr. Harald Simon, Germany.
Antelope mask from the Eastern Pende Peoples. Early to mid 20th century. Excellent age wear and patina. H. 45 cm.
Yale archive: ao-0038719-001
Provenance:
Coll. Christaens
Coll. Joseph Hans, Brussels
Mamadou Keita, Amsterdam
Danny de Waele, Ghent, Belgium, 1995
This tall figure was made by the Jompre people of Nigeria, although this appears to be an offensive name, probably given by the neighbouring Chamba, and meaning ‘cannibals’. Alternative names for the Jompre include Kutep, Kuteb, Kutev, Mbarike and Zumper. They inhabit the Benue Valley, on the border of Nigeria and Cameroon, an area that is still relatively undocumented. They number approximately 15,000 and are divided into a number of clans, each associated with a particular mountain, and tr...
Depicting two figures that are tied to one other. H. 22 cm. Ca. mid 20th century. Custom made stand included.
High quality pair of proud standing male and female figures from the Igbo people in Nigeria, made of strong and heavy wood and mounted on custom stands. The figures were made around 1950. Former collection of Dr. Heinz Werner Schmitt, Hamburg, Germany. Good condition with blackened patina and some cracks, no repairs.
Size: 47 cm height x 10 cm width.
Shipping included
Colon figure, Lobi, Burkina Faso.
H. 43 cm. Excellent wear and patina.
Mid 20th century.
Ex Pierre Taliercio, France.
Antique African Dogon Bronze Horse and Rider, well modeled and nicely mounted though one mounting pin came through the lower leg otherwise perfect condition. Nice almost contemporary feel. Size H 4.75" w 4" over all Height 5.75"
Antique African Ebony sculpture of a village woman.
Nice carving with good details. Probably early 20th c
Size 10.5"
Ife Benin Bronze Hip Plaque with Warriors and a leopard head. Size H 9" W 7" H 2"
Lovemaking couple, mid 20th century. h. 35,5 cm.
Provenance:
Alain & Angèle Larem, Switzerland
Madeleine and Jean-Jacques Keller (until 1980 Abidjan, later Rheinfelden).
Good condition with nice age wear.
With a great offering patina. H. 16,5 cm. Mid 20th century or older.
Ex Galerie Maine Durieu, Paris
Gelede mask - Yoruba - Ohori - Benin.
H. 25 cm. Mid 20th century.
Guy van Rijn archive ao-0110592-001.
Ex coll. Ursula Voorhuis (1932-2021).