From our African Collection: A Burkino Faso Flying Wing Shield, circa 1940. 24 x 72" Many of the ancient artistic traditions for which Africa is so well known have been preserved in Burkina Faso because so many people continue to honor the ancestral spirits, and the spirits of nature. In great part they honor the spirits through the use of masks and carved figures. The history of Burkina Faso is dominated by its largest ethnic group, the Mossi peoples...

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.

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...

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

Nicely carved feminine fetish with a fine coiffe, serene face with lowered lids, elongated neck, holding her breasts with both hands, and showing scarifications around her belly. Wood, with fine dark glossy patina. A piece of old textile of red color is meant to represent a skirt. Africa, D.R. Congo, Luba ethnic group. Height: 9 3/8" (23,7 cm). The figurine is mounted on a custom metal stand. Remnants of old insect infestation, (no danger), otherwise very good condition.

Janus-shaped helmet mask, the two back-to-back faces of a similar expression, surmounted by a semi circular flat coiffe. Wood, with glossy age patina. Africa, Nigeria, Idoma Peoples. Height: 14" (35 cm). Old insect infestations (no danger), small accidents and chips, otherwise very good condition.

From our African Collection: A Luba Shield from the mid 20th century. 15 w x 40" h. The Luba people or Baluba are an ethno-linguistic group indigenous to the south-central region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.The majority of them live in this country, residing mainly in its Katanga, Kasai, and Maniema provinces. The Baluba consist of many sub-groups who speak various dialects of Luba (e.g...

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...

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...

Important shoulder mask from Wajda people a tribe close to Mumuye group , age is at least from mid 20th. Very hard wood , somme local repair , otherwise very good condition considering its age. H 146 cm wide 46 cm , depth 40 cm, the head is 2! cm wide

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.

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...

Old helmet mask, of typical form, with three faces surmounted by an elaborate coiffe. Wood, with fine age patina. Africa, Sierra Leone, Mende ethnic group. Height: 16 cm. Diameter: 17 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Obvious signs of use and age, otherwise very good condition.

Helmet mask of Janus shape, showing two busts surmounted by fierce looking faces, each one very different from the other one. The mask is made of wood covered with animal skin, with a rattan base allowing fixation to the top of the dancer's head. Beautiful dark brown glossy patina. Africa, Nigeria, Ekoi ethnic group. Height: 21 cm. Very good condition. Provenance: old European collection.

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...

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

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.

An African helmet mask decorated with glass beadwork from Bamum/Yoruba tribe, Cameroon. With a bird effigy. Circa 1940.