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.

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...

African Colon Figures From our African Collection: Colon figures from the Ivory Coast made in the craft of the Baule people. $2,500 for the pair. Both are 8" at base, 42" h. The Baule or Baoulé are an Akan people and one of the largest groups in Côte d'Ivoire who historically migrated from Ghana. The Baoulé are traditionally farmers who live in the centre of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), in a triangle shaped region (the Baoule “V”) between the rivers Bandama and N'Zi...

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

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

Rare "Mbangu" deformity mask, showing a distorted face. Wood, with traces of black and white pigments. Africa, Gabon, Pende Peoples. Height: 12" (30 cm). The mask is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Old accident restored locally, chips, age cracks, otherwise good condition. NOTE: Representations of distorted faces are rare in African art. They symbolize the effects of epileptic crisis, which are supposed to be a manifestation of the spirits...

A weaving pulley ending in an expressive head with some scarifying. Carved from hardwood with dark patina, the reel is fixed with an iron wire. Collected by the Swiss ethnologist Charlotte von Graffenried, author of the book "Akan Goldweights". Condition: traces of usage, some wear, the face with fine cracks. Dimension: c. 19.1 cm high x 6.8 cm wide.

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.

From our Collection: Nigerian Bust from the Kingdo of Ife from the 20th century. 4" w, 19" h. Ife is an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria. The city is located in present-day Osun State. Ife is about 218 kilometers northeast of Lagos with a population of 509,813...

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.

H. 23 cm. (Excluding the beard. Very good complete condition. The mask is covered with red fabric, the eyes are made of aluminium. Provenance: Klaus Paysan (1930-2011), Stuttgart, Germany. Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam. Exhibited: Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Schloss Rosenstein, Stuttgart - ‘Afrika, Tiere, Maske und Magie’.

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.

From Ibaden, Nigeria this traditional Yoruba cloth was woven by the men of the village. It was worn tied around the waist of the woman, and used as a baby carrier. This piece was brought back from Africa in 1961. Hand loomed of cotton fibers, it has a wonderful soft color and texture. It measures 10" wide and 68" long including fringe.

Important mask of the "kiwoyo muyombo" type, of elongated shape, with a protruding forehead and fine features, surmounted by a highly stylized cylindrical coiffe, and a long "beard" decorated in relief with bicolored lozenges and framed by weaved bamboo slices. Fine glossy patina. Africa, Gabon, Pende Peoples. Height: 45 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Small losses, otherwise very good condition.

From our African Collection: An African Benin Bust made in Bronze from the 1960's. 4" at base, 12" h. The kingship of Benin is closely related to Ife. The first king, or Oba, of Benin is traditionally supposed to be a descendant of Oduduwa, the founder of Ife. The most distinctive examples of Benin craftsmanship are the bronze plaques, which adorned the palace walls. As in the artwork of Ife, the craftsmen of Benin produced bronze and copper heads celebrating the power of the Oba...

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

Standing female figurine, with typical coiffe and elongated head, scarifications on face and torso, arms alongside and separated from torso, small breasts, straight legs and big stylized feet. Wood, fine dark-brown semi-glossy patina. Africa, D.R. Congo, Mangbetu Peoples. Height: 11 7/8" (30 cm). The statue is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Old accident on left shoulder (local restoration), erosion, otherwise 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...