Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: African: Sculpture (56)

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.

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.

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

Helmet mask with three faces, Ekoi, Cross River, Nigeria.  Height 62 cm. Mid 20th century. Partly covered with antelope skin. The headdress and the three figures are attached on (partly new) wooden pins and can easily be removed for transport. There is old rodent damage to the figures. Ex Ursula Voorhuis (1932-2021), The Netherlands. A (heavy) stand can be included. More pictures available on request.

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

Hardwood group depicting a horse rider surrounded by a kneeling figure and two drum players. H. 19 cm. First half of the 20th century. Some missing parts on the kneeling figure. Ex coll. Ursula Heijs Voorhuis (1932-2021), The Netherlands. Ex Zemanek-Münster, Würzburg, Germany.

H. 85 cm.  Mid 20th century. Artist: Tage from Kpwazang (?) Provenance: Norfolk State Museum Marc Assayag, Montreal, Canada Srdjan Sremac, The Hague Auction: Dorotheum Vienna, ‘Tribal Art’, March 2022.

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. The Babalawo (father of the secret) or oracle priest in charge sits to the right of the woman. He has taken 16 palm nuts from the ‘Agere Ifa’ (cup for palm nuts), that stands beside him and is about throw the nuts from his left to his right hand. If he drops one nut in the process, he will make two marks in the wood dust on the oracle tray before him, if he misses two nuts, he will make one mark. After two sets of four throws, the result on the tray will indicate to him the oracle verses he will have to recite to his client. The third person that seems to supervise the proceedings is also a Babalawo and even an important one, judging from the thick beaded necklace that hangs over his chest, with an attachment from his neck. It seems that his right hand held a staff, probably an Ifa tapper that is used to tick on the tray in order to attract the attention of Eshu, the messenger.

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. The colors red-white-yellow point to the cultus complex of Nana Buruku.