Ancestor figure. Ca. Mid 20th century. Strong posture and very good patina. The lower legs eaten by termites. H. 46 cm (51cm including the stand).

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.

Mongo drum, DRC, 1st half of the 20th century. H. 73 cm. Dry patina. Provenance: Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam, Piet van Boxel (1938-2021),The Hague, collector of ethnic musical instruments.

Colon figure, Lobi, Burkina Faso. H. 43 cm. Excellent wear and patina. Mid 20th century. Ex Pierre Taliercio, France.

Bochio figure, Fon, Benin H. 42 cm, hardwood. Nice cubist figure with good age wear.

Shrine object, Yoruba, Nigeria/Benin. H. 74 cm, mid 20th century or older. Ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.

Gelede mask - Yoruba - Ohori - Benin. H. 25 cm. Mid 20th century. Guy van Rijn archive ao-0110592-001. Ex coll. Ursula Voorhuis (1932-2021).

Fertility doll. H. 16,5 cm. Mid 20th century.

Baule maternity, Côte d’Ivoire. Made for sale by a traditional Baule carver in the 1920’s-30’s. According to Guy van Rijn there were two workshops in those days, where traditional Baule carvers produced objects for commercial purposes. H. 44 cm. Left hand missing, right arm repaired. Ex Dutch private collection, ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.

A carved and decorated Nigerian mother with child on her back, early 20th. century.

Artful style depicting a mother in a kneeling position, holding an offering bowl, with her child strapped on her back. The image, on a rounded base, is carved from a single piece of light wood. The figure has an oval head and bulging almond eyes with prominent, eyelids. The nose is flared and the lips full and sensual. Six vertical scarifications are on both cheeks...

Very old Dan mask with circular eyes, protruding forehead, long thin nose, protruding lips, small chin. This mask is of the "gunyeya" type, and was used during the running competitions which were organised to train men to run and fight. It is made of wood, with a fine dark brown glossy patina. Its height: 19.8 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Africa, Ivory Coast/Liberia, first half of 20th century. Obvious signs of use and age, otherwise very good condition.

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...

Old Baule (Baoule) Colonial Period carved wood sculpture of a maternity figure or spirit spouse (Blolo Bla). With elaborate hair and ringed neck. Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire). Pre 1950. Approximately 18” tall.

Ancient mask of oval flat form, with protruding forehead and nose, slit eyes, small open rectangular mouth showing teeth. Only one large hole on each side to attach the mask, and smaller holes around the mask probably to represent hair and beard. Wood, with remnants of kaolin colouring. Africa, Gabon, Fang ethnic group. Height: 32 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Tiny accidents, otherwise very good condition.

Intricately carved face mask bearing horns, with features in relief, slit eyes, scarifications, stylised beard. Wood, with remnants of kaolin colouring on eyes, horns tips and coiffe. Fine age patina. Africa, Ivory Coast, Yaure ethnic group. Height: 33 cm. Insect infestation on right side (no more danger), otherwise good condition

Superb and rare mask with a very refined carving, representing a chief, with detailed coiffe, eyes, mouth, beard and scarifications. Wood, with fine patina. R.D. Congo, Bena Lulua or Luluwa ethnic group, early 20th century. Height: 35.5 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Obvious signs of age, otherwise very good condition...

Large Widekum mask, of typical form, carved in relief, with an unusual cap, pointed scarifications, slit eyes, small nose, open rectangular mouth showing teeth, protruding chin. The mask is made in wood covered with animal skin. Cameroon, Upper Cross River, West Grassland region. Height: 47 cm. The mask is mounted on a custom stand. Good condition despite slight abrasion due to age. Provenance: old French Provincial collection, acquired in situ early 20th century.

Very rare bronze quiver with four arrows, (their heads made of iron and shafts made of bamboo). The quiver is nicely decorated with geometric designs in relief and leather covers, with a nice reddish-green patina on the bronze. Dimensions: 54 cm long for the quiver and 40 cm long for the arrows. Cameroon, Kirdi ethnic group. Very good condition. NOTE: acquired in 1970 in North West Cameroon.

These fertility fetishes were placed in the ground to promote the growth of crops. They were named after Legba, a trickster god of Vodun, who was usually pictured as young, virile, horned and phallic. H. 43 cm, first half of the 20th century. Ex coll. Ursula Voorhuis (1932-2021), The Netherlands.

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.

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

H. 20 cm, mid 20th century. The clapper is missing. Ex coll. Ursula Voorhuis (1932-2021), The Netherlands.

Lovely small bird fetish from the early to mid 20th century. H. 24 cm. Ex Jean-Marc Desaive, Belgium, Ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague, The Netherlands, Ex Berry de Bruijn, Hilvarenbeek, The Netherlands.

Impressive hardwood figure from the Benue region. H. 57 cm. Mid 20th century. Ex coll. Dr. Harald Simon, Germany.

With a great offering patina. H. 16,5 cm. Mid 20th century or older. Ex Galerie Maine Durieu, Paris

The gourd container with a hardwood stopper with a head. H. 17 cm. Mid 20th century.

Mid 20th century. H. 60 cm. ex Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam. ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.

Large door lock from a door of a granary. H. 53 cm.  Mid 20th century. Ex French private collection.

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...

African, probably Ethiopian teaching board. Extra large 89x39 cm. Heavy wood with black ink Arabic script on both sides. Ex private collection. Can be viewed and collected in central London as excess weight would make shipping expensive.

Helmet "ngontang" mask with four faces of circular form and a top of cross form. Wood with white and black pigments. Old collection mark inside. Africa, Gabon, Fang ethnic group. Height: 19.5 cm. Diameter: 15.5 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Abrasion, otherwise good condition. Provenance: French provincial auction sale.

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, first half of the 20th century, African Tribal throwing knife with hand-forged iron blade of elaborated form adorned on each face with a scored pattern, mounted in hand-carved bulbous wooden handle.

The custom-made metal display stand is included...

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.

Depicting two figures that are tied to one other. H. 22 cm. Ca. mid 20th century. Custom made stand included.

Very large doll made by a known carver. H. 40,5 cm. Second quarter of the 20th century. Condition: both arms reattached. Lovely honey brown patina. The style of this Akuaba with its unusual coiffure is described in the book ‘Akua’ba Asante Wednesday Child’ by Ron van Doorn and Herbert M. Cole. Provenance: Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam. (Vetter at Parcours des Mondes, Paris).

Hardwood, first half 20th century. H. 18 cm. Old insect damage. Ex private collection Belgium, collected in Abidjan in 1968.

H. 9 cm. Mid 20th century or a bit older. For a similar spoon see the screenshot of the Van Rijn Archive.

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.

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.

"Gorfa" milk container, made of calabash covered with tightly woven vegetal fibers, with a leather handle partly decorated with cowries. The gorfa is also covered with leather and wood protection, and its foot is decorated with cowries. Ethiopia, Borana Peoples. Height: 21.2 cm. Very good condition. NOTE: The Borana society is build around the maintenance of cattle, which are their prime source of sustenance. Milk and yogurt also are staples of the Borana diet...

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)...

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...

Wood covered with sheat metal. H. 30 cm. Mid 20th century. One horn repaired. special price: from € 750 for  € 300

Anthropomorpic female figure. Probably used as a headdress. H. 48 cm. Mid 20th century. Provenance: Kathy van der Pas en Steven van de Raadt, 1998, Otto Schaap, Amsterdam, De Zwaan, Amsterdam, 2020.

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

A late 19th to early 20th century Montol figure with a great provenance...

Benue Plateau, mid 20th century. H. 40 cm. Ex Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam. Ex Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg, March 2014. The Djompre are a small ethnic group with their homeland in the Benue Plateau State in northern Nigeria. They call themselves Kutep or Kutev, the denomination Djombre - which means cannibals - has probably been given to them by the neighbouring Chamba.

19-20thc Uganda triple spout pot Ganda magic drinking Ndawula Walumbe Bamweyana Nakaima Muwanga. This rare pot was for ceremonial use and said to be for medicated beer. Probably early 20th c beautiful blackish burnished finish and cord impressed banding around the 3 spouts. Some slight scuffs to spout lip as well as lighter colored grey around rims though does not seem to be damage. No cracks quite heavy for the size comes with no stand. Weight 3.8 h 8" w 7"

A small oil on Masonite painting of giraffes silhouetted by an African sunset, 10" by 8", unframed, signed at lower right "B.C. Syrett 1968". I do not see information on the artist, who was obviously talented. The painting could use a cleaning to remove soiled varnish, light scuffs and some stray black surface marks in the sky.

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"

From our African Collection: An Ashanti Stool from Ghana, The Golden Stool is a sacred symbol of the Ashanti nation believed to possess the sunsum (soul) of the Ashanti people. According to legend, the Golden Stool -- sika 'dwa in the Akan language of the Ashanti -- descended from heaven in a cloud of white dust and landed in the lap of the first Ashanti king, Osei Tutu, in the late 1600s. The king's priest, Okomfo Anokye, proclaimed that henceforth the strength and unity of the Ashanti peop...

From our African Collection: A Baga Figure. 18" w, 48" h. TYPES OF ART Wooden figures, often worn or carried in the form of masks, are used by the initiation societies to educate initiates about the role of the spirits whom they represent. Large wooden serpent figures appear at initiations, and carved anthropomorphic figures are placed on shrines. The ancestors are represented in figures that embody both human and animal characteristics. Geographically the Baga belong to the coast, yet th...

From our African Collection: A Mossi Mask from Burkina Faso, 16" h. TYPES OF ART The Mossi make both political art and spiritual art. Figures are used by the ruling class to validate political power, and masks are used by the conquered peoples to control the forces of nature. Each year at the annual celebrations of the royal ancestors, figures of the deceased kings are displayed. On many occasions each year, especially during the long dry season from October to May, masks appear to honor...

From our African Collection: A Large Baule Mask with Horns, circa 1960. 22" Diameter, horns are 18" h. From the Ivory Coast. TYPES OF ART The Baule create art in several media, including wooden sculpture, gold and brass casting similar to their Asante ancestors, and mask and figure carving, which have been greatly influenced by their Senufo and Guro neighbors. HISTORY The Baule belong to the Akan peoples who inhabit Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Three hundred years ago the Baule people ...

From our African Collection: A Nok Terracotta Figure, 18" w, 50" h. The small head is 3 x 4". Nok refers to the culture associated with a one hundred square kilometer area in central Nigeria where thousands of terracotta figures were found. These figures were first encountered in tin mines by Colonel J. Dent Young in 1928 and were classified as Nok by Bernard Fagg in 1943. Dates associated with Nok were recently categorized into three periods: Early Nok beginning in the middle of the second ...

From our African Collection: An old miniature figure from Dogon Peoples, . 1" w, 5" h.

From our African Collection: Large scale tall figure with scarification, Dogon and Songe, Tanzania. Square Base with support 24 x 24", 72" h.

From our African Collection: A Bamana Tribe Chief's Chair from Mali with a Crocodile Motif. 22" w x 52" h. TYPES OF ART The artistic tradition of the Bamana is rich, filled with pottery, sculptures, beautiful bogolanfini cloth, and wrought iron figures fashioned by blacksmiths. They also have extensive masking traditions, which are used as a form of social control and community education. HISTORY The Bamana are members of the Mande culture, a large and powerful group of peoples in w...

From our African Collection: A Yoruba Metal Wheel Shrine, circa 1900. approx 80" h. TYPES OF ART The arts of the Yoruba are as numerous as their deities, and many objects are placed on shrines to honor the gods and the ancestors. Beautiful sculpture abounds in wood and brass and the occasional terracotta. Varied masking traditions have resulted in a great diversity of mask forms. Additional important arts include pottery, weaving, beadworking and metalsmithing. HISTORY The oral hist...