Catalog (359)

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.

A rare and early wooden Guanyin. Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Guanyin seated on a throne flanked by two birds. H. 54 cm. The back of the figure has a small cavity which contains a small silk parcel containing offerings. Condition: age wear, old insect infestations, traces of repainting on the base. Provenance: in my private collection since the mid 90’s, bought in Hongkong from Wing Kei Curios, Hollywood Road.

Made of hardwood. Early 20th century. Laos is famous for its ‘tribal’ Buddhas. They were made by village carvers and donated in large quantities to the temples. H. 55 cm. Condition: remains of polychromy, age wear, cracks.

Bateba Phuwe, made by the ‘carver of the long neck’. Mid 20th century. H. 29 cm. Good condition. Literature: Katsouros/Herkenhoff - Anonyme Schnitzer der Lobi.

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.

Senufo staff with anthropomorphic figure of a seated female. Made of hardwood. H. 61 cm. One hand and part of the left foot missing. Excellent age wear and patina. Provenance: Roger Bediat, Abidjan. Part of his collection was sold at Drouot in Paris in 1966. More info on this dealer/collector: Van Rijn wh-0000342-001

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’.

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.

Very early figure of a standing male. Early 20th century or older. H. 44,5 cm. More pictures are available on request. Provenance: Manfred Schäfer, Ulm. Adrian Schlag, Cologne/Brussels. Serge Schofel, Paris/Brussels. Zemanek Münster, 2018. Srdjan Sremac, Den Haag. Condition: The surface of the figure is heavily eroded in some areas.

Hardwood and iron. H. 38 cm. Provenance: Robert van der Heijden, Amsterdam, Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.

Elegant figure with great age. H. 30 cm. Condition: old worm holes. Early 20th century. Provenance: Christophe Rolley, Paris, Srdjan Sremac, Den Haag.

Ancient bronze food container dating from the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). With a domed cover with loop handles. When inverted the cover becomes a tripod dish. H. 15 cm, Diameter 21,5 cm. Condition: Good condition with excellent verdegris and lapis patina. Provenance: Collection Mr. Poel, antique dealer in Den Haag, ca. 1990, private collection Den Haag.

From the collection of Desmond Morris comes this exceptional protective figure. The face and body have fine carvings and red and white pigments. H. 75 cm, W. 68 cm. Provenance: Bonhams London 2004, Mallams Auctioneers Abingdon, 2015, Collection Desmond Morris, Mallams Auctioneers Oxford 2019.

A very fine beaded dance panel from the first quarter of the 20th century. Dimensions: 29 x 29,5 cm. Good condition. Provenance: private collection Lanaken, Belgium.

Hardwood stool decorated with four carved figures. First half 20th century.One side shows two Yoruba women; the right one is feeding her baby, the left one is holding an unknown object. The other side shows to Yoruba men dressed in European clothing. The top and bottom of the stool are decorated with a geometric band. H. 29,5 cm, diameter 24 cm. Condition: age cracks, the right man is missing his hands. The stool shows good signs of use and has a great patina. Provenance: Ursula Voorhuis, The Netherlands. She owns one of the biggest Yoruba collections in the world and did a lot of field research and collecting in the 60’s and 70’s. Van Rijn Archive nr. ao-0105625-001

A lobed tray made of brass and copper, enameled in cloisonné technique, decorated with two dragons chasing the flaming pearl. Dimensions 23 x 18 x 2 cm. The tray is in good condition with normal age wear. Ca. Late 19th century..

A very rare lobed spittoon enameled with floral decorations very unusual colors, like yellow and purple. Diameter 8,4 cm, H. 4,8 cm. Good condition with normal age wear. Ca. late 19th century.

Early 20th century male mask with scarifications. H. 31 cm. Ex David Utzon Frank, Denmark. Ex Srdjan Sremac, The Hague.

Hexagonal pewter teapot inlaid with brass panels engraved with birds, plants and fruits, all with their own auspicious meaning. Qianlong period (1736-1795). H. 24 cm. Good condition with good age wear and patina. There is a mark on the inside of the lid. I’ve collected this piece in Beijing in the late 90’s and kept it in my private collection ever since.

A fine 17th/18th century bronze Buddha head with a nice verdegris patina and remains of gilding. H. 17,5 cm. Repair to the left ear (excavated piece). ex Dutch private collection, collected in Bangkok in the early 90’s.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Yoruba stool with a dog (?) , Nigeria. Ex Ursula Voorhuis (1932-2021). Mid 20th century or older. H. 28 cm, diameter 22 cm.

Stunning Yoruba stool from the collection of Ursula Voorhuis (1932-2021), The Netherlands. Supported by 6 figures: a family with a nursing mother, a man with a goat, a maternity and a man with a walking stick. H. 30 cm, diameter 33 cm. First half of the 20th century. Condition: age cracks, repair to the goat, some missing parts. Overall in good condition with a lovely patina and remains of Reckitt Blue pigments.

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.

Alusi shrine figure. H. 59 cm. First half of the 20th century. Ex Jacques Kerchache (1942 - 2001), ex Christie’s Paris, 29-10-2008, ex galerie Walu Basel, ex Hammer Auktionen. Guy van Rijn archive ao-0093787-001.

A serene mask from the first half of the 20th century. H. 23 cm, L. 26 cm. Light traces of pigment. Ex coll. Ursula Voorhuis (1932-2021), The Netherlands. Guy van Rijn archive: ao-0110538-001.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Rare and early mask, ca. 1st quarter of the 20th century. H. 43 cm. Ex coll. Patrick Lemaire, Brussels. Ex private collection Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

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.