FERTILITY DOLLS by Daniel Piperno

Ambo, Lunda

Dinka

Ambo or Lunda, Angola 43 x 14 x 12cm Old worn patina. Provenance: Ann Porteus Sidewalk Tribal Gallery Hobart Tasmania Australia

Doll, Attributed on collection to the Dinka people of southern Sudan.41 x 11 x 9cm Provenance: Ann Porteus Sidewalk Tribal Gallery Hobart Tasmania Australia

Nyaneka / Humbe / Mwila Angola « attribuées au Dinka du Soudan ou chez les Ambo / Ovanbo en Angola. Mais pas de sources fiables à présenter... Selon nous, l'attribution Dinka reste fantaisiste et est à écarter. La piste Ambo / Ovambo est plausible car les Ambo sont egalement situés au Sud Ouest de l'Angola, voisins en quelque sorte des Mwila....

Nous privilégions malgré tout l'attribution donnée par les gens de terrain et la laissons aux Mwila. » (BM) Provenance :Bruno Mignot, Strasbourg

Sudan, Dinka, Omdurman or Baggara

A superb doll with an elongated body and feet, a round head painted in white and the body decorated with multimedia materials including beads, shells, metal bells, and packages of amulets. The doll is wearing a raffia skirt decorated with cowrie shells. The present example shows some age and a lot of character and it would be well placed in a collection. This wonderful doll comes from Sudan.

Nyaneka / Humbe / Mwila Dolls such as these are found among the Dinka and their neighbors such as the Omdurman peoples (see Esther A. Dagan, AFRICAN DOLLS, fig.74 p. 141) and the Baggara (see E. Cameron, Isn't s/he a doll, fig. 98. ). In these cultures dolls are representations of women dressed in traditional costumes. Women among these societies are usually adorned with beaded jewelry including necklace, earrings, anklets, armlets, hairpins. rings so forth, as seen on this doll. Islamic influences can be seen in the use of amulets on the doll. The ritual uses of these dolls are not known.

Omdurman or Baggara, Sudan

Provenance: David Malik Artnegro Gallery New York, NY

Baggara, Soudan

Soudan Les Arabes baggaras sont un peuple de bédouins nomades habitant la zone située entre le Lac Tchad et le Nil, au Soudan (en particulier le Darfour), au Niger, au Tchad, au Cameroun, au Nigéria et en République centrafricaine. Ils sont aussi connus sous le nom d'Arabes Choa. Ce sont des éleveurs, qui migrent entre les prairies à la saison humide et les zones de rivières à la saison sèche. La plupart d'entre eux parlent l'Arabe tchadien.

Bois, perles , plastique Metal . Fibre . Cuir Soudan H : 19,7 po (50 cm )

Provenance : Volker Sokoto, Allemagne.

Les Baggaras du Soudan sont divisés en tribus, comme les Rizeigat, Ta’isha, Bani Halba, Habbaniya au Darfour, et Misseiria, Kababish, Humur et Hawazma à Kordofan. Les Misseiria du Jebel Mun parlent un dialecte nilosaharien, le Tama (aussi appelé Miisiirii).

Ambo

Les Ovambos (ou Aawambo ou Ambo) sont un groupe ethnique bantou de Namibie et d'Angola. Le peuple Ovambo compte approximativement 1 000 000 d'individus La langue des Ovambos est l'Oshiwambo incorporant des dialectes Kuanyama et Ndonga. De nos jours, les Ovambos sont dans leur immense majorité de religion chrétienne. Ce sont principalement des luthériens, convertis par les missionnaires allemands et finnois à partir des années 1870.

Originaires des régions supérieures du Zambèze, les Ovambos sont de la famille des Bantous et n'ont immigré vers l'actuelle Namibie que vers 1550. Ombadja. La majeure partie des Ovambos ont gardé leurs superstitions ancestrales et croient notamment en un esprit supérieur appelé Kalunga, qui prend la forme d'un homme invisible bienveillant. Cette croyance en un esprit unique explique comment les Ovambos sont devenus très facilement une des tribus les plus christianisées d'Afrique. La référence à Kalunga pour Dieu est toujours présente dans les bibles en dialectes Ovambos.

Ambo

Chaque tribu Ovambo a un chef. Les membres de la famille royale de l'Ovamboland sont appelés aakwanekamba et seulement ceux-ci peuvent prétendre à devenir chef de tribu. La société étant matriarcale, seule la mère confie à ses enfants la dignité royale. Les fils de Chefs ne peuvent y prétendre à moins que leur propre mère ne soit de lignée royale.

Soudan

PoupĂŠe Bagirmi SUPERB BAGIRMI DOLL from the collection of Professor Wilford Morris of Purdue University.

DOLL Wood , Beads , Cloth Fibre Sudan H : 9.4 in ( 24 cm ) Provenance : Volker Sokoto, Allemagne.

Unique doll with 2 plaits, short arms, nose, mouth, elongated neck. Rises from a flaring circular base; the cylindrical body supports shoulders beneath the elongated neck and large helmetshaped head. Two flanges decorated with chevron motifs. Dark patinated surface. Size: 12 inches high Provenance: Professor Wilford H.M. Morris (1921- 2010), engineer, agronomist, specialist of the Sahel (Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria) where he stayed in the late 1960's, 1970s. Gallerie Nimba, D.C. Rilling, Sellersville, Pensylvanie, USA.

Bariba, Bénin

Le bariba, dont le nom correct est baatnum (ou batonu), est la langue la plus importante du Nord-Bénin.

Calebasse,entièrement habillée de pièces reliées entre elles en lanières

Calebasse, pièces, tissu, miroir 20ème siècle Hauteur : 20 cm Provenance : Galerie Flak, Paris

Nyatura, Tanzanian

Calebasse, perles et cauris DĂŠbut 20eme Provenance : Galerie Flak, Paris

Samburu, Simbabwe

A female terracotta figure, dressed with a long apron, decorated with small glass beads in the area of the neck and the forehead, showing simplified facial features, on wooden base, h: 16 cm Provenance Coll. Werner Fischer, Gelsenkirchen, Germany Vente Zemanek

Bergdama, Namibia Doll of the Bergdama, Namibia, completely wrapped in leather, delicate details (hands, face), crowned by an elaborate plaited coiffure of real hair, on wooden base, h: 20,5 cm;

Provenance Coll. Werner Fischer, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Literature:Ritual oder Spiel? Puppen aus Afrika und Ă&#x201E;gypten, Ausst.kat., Berlin, MĂźnchen 2004, p. 51 Bofinger, Brigitte und Wolfgang, Puppen aus Afrika, Stuttgart 2006, p. 56 & 109 Vente Zemanek

Fali, Cameroun

A bone doll of the Fali, Cameroon, almost completely wrapped in strings of glass beads and leather, on metal base, h: 21 cm; Provenance: Coll. Werner Fischer, Gelsenkirchen, Germany Literature: Ritual oder Spiel? Puppen aus Afrika und Ă&#x201E;gypten, Ausst.kat., Berlin, MĂźnchen 2004, p. 51 Bofinger, Brigitte und Wolfgang, Puppen aus Afrika, Stuttgart 2006, p. 56 & 109

Fali, Cameroun

PoupĂŠe de mariage, Bois, corne, perles de verre, coquillages

33 cm

Fali, Cameroun

Provenance : Bruno Mignot, Strasbourg

Fali, Cameroun

Yoruba, Nigeria Wooden doll from the Yoruba (Nigeria, Republic of Benin). 19 cm high A doll of the Fali, Cameroon, in form of two staffs, the upper part wrapped in strings of black glass beads, leather strings with cowrie snails attached, crowned by a voluminous coiffure with red glass beads, min. dam., on base; h: 15 cm

A doll by the same type was collected by FROBENIUS in 1912, see the image (Krieger (Kurt), Westafrikanische Plastik, vol.1, Berlin no. 58).

Provenance Coll. Werner Fischer, Gelsenkirchen, Germany Vente ZemanehkMunster published by Frobenius in 1912. 14

Kirdi, Cameroun

Probable poupée de fertilité Kirdi (attribution approximative) Ces poupées se présentent sous la forme d’un brassard en corde tressée, composée de plusieurs rangs de liens, avec au centre une petite poupée fixée verticalement. Ces objets étaient portés par les jeunes femmes, peut être un à chaque bras… ?

Luba, Zaire

Tabwa, Congo, Zambie

Dan, Côte d’Ivoire

Biga, Mossi, Burkina Fasso

Biga Mossi, Burkina Faso

Ancienne PoupĂŠe Bigaa, Mossi, Burkina Faso Bois marouflĂŠ de cuir Haut : 30 cm

Vente Chinon, juin 2010

Biga, Mossi, Burkina Fasso

Nouna (Noumi)

Yanda, Zande, Zaire Proche des Mossi. Ancienne collection M. Jeanmenne (19071977) acquise dans les années 50-60. Une des particularités des Nuna et leur formidable capacité d'assimilation des codes esthétiques, voire des objets, des autres cultures. Il s'agit donc probablement d'une interprétation de la Biiga Mossi par un sculpteur Nuna. Les Nuna ne possèdent pas de culte de la "poupée", mais uniquement des statues d'autel

Provenance : Bruno Mignot, Strasbourg 22

Fali, Cameroun (à G) Nyamwezi, Tanzanie (à D)

Nyamwezi, Tanzanie

Mwana Hiti, Tanzanie

Nyamwezi, Tanzanie

This is an unusual sculpture depicting a armless standing female figure with long cylindrical and elongated body covered with hand-twisted rope and finial multicolor beads. The hair is made of length of string stuck onto the scalp. The technique of carving is most likely Nyamwezi. The hairstyle is found among the Nyamwezi as well as among the Sukuma, Luguru, and number of ethnic groups of northern Mozambique.

Mwana Hiti, Tanzanie

Ancienne Mwana Hiti, Zaramo, h = 17 cm

Ewé

Yoruba, couple dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ibedji

Namji, Cameroun

Size : Female: 3.9 inches W x 10.0 inches H x 2.2 inches D, Male: 3.9 inches W x 9.4 inches H x 1.6 inches D Weight : 1.57 pounds Materials : Sese wood, brass, clay and cotton cloth Nii Noi 'Chico' Nortey

Namji, Cameroun

A doll of the Namchi, Cameroon, wood, glass beads, u-shaped legs, the whole trunk wrapped in fine strings of glass beads, two carved calabashs and cowrie snails attached, min. dam., on wooden base, h: 20,5 cm Provenance Coll. Werner Fischer, Gelsenkirchen, Germany Vente Zemanek Munster

Vente Zemanek-Munster

Namji, Cameroun

Poupée Namji en bois brun recouvert de cuir et orné de perles, Cameroun, h. 20 cm

Vente Genève, 9 mars 2011.

Doll attached to a calabash with old glass trade beads, old cowrie shells, leather, animal horns, and other oddities. When beads, bells, coins, and other ornaments are added, however, the doll becomes a surrogate baby for a woman who was having difficulty getting pregnant. Most of these additional material are associated with protective spirits and are symbols of health, wealth, and wellbeing. The woman treats the figure like a baby, feeding it and carrying it on her back. This one is attached to a calabash and was probably used as a shrine piece and worshiped as a spirit of fertility

Namji, Cameroun

Namji, Cameroun La parure de perles est collée au corps en bois, les bras représentés par deux tubes de perles. Cameroun. Haut. 25,5 cm. Provenance : - collection Gremonfrez, Belgique. - collection Alain Plouvier, artiste peintre. - collection particulière, Tours, 2009.

wood, brown patina, ushaped legs, legs, torso, arms and neck wrapped up in strings of glass beads, crowned by a small stylized head with inset eyes, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion, on base; among the Namchi, unadorned dolls made by blacksmiths are young girl's playthings. When beads, bells and coins are added, however, the doll becomes a surrogate baby for a woman who is having difficulty getting pregnant. The woman treats the figure like a newborn. She feeds it gruel and carries it on her back, as a mother would a child. The decoration duplicates the adornment worn by young initiates returning to the village after their period of seclusion. H: 21,5 cm, (5164/001) H: 8.5 inch Provenance Coll. Werner Fischer, Gelsenkirchen, Germany – Vente Zemanek Munster.

Vente Rouillac, Cheverny, 13 juin 2014

Literature Cameron, Elisabeth L., Isn't she a doll? Play and Ritual in African Sculpture, Los Angeles 1996, p. 76 ff.

Mwila, Angola

Ndimba Doll - Angola

Ngambwe â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Western Zambia

Ndimba are another sub group of the Mwela Circa 1960's

It came from an Ngambwe area located nearby the Mukubal, but Ndimba were also in the area. Ngambwe dressed in bright colored fabric like the Mukubal and Zemba use â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but their dolls are different. The wood is old and full of oiled patina, better in the hand then in the picture

Provenance: Galerie Ezakwantu Franschhoek South Africa

Ethnie Ambo / Mwila Angola - Namibie

Mwila, Namibie

Provenance : Bruno Mignot, Strasbourg Provenance : Bruno Mignot, Strasbourg 37

Sotho, Afrique du Sud collection of Irwin Hershey September 1978 Irwin Hershey started for five years the Primitive Art Newsletter that was a paid membership newsletter sended by post. In his volume 1, no. 2 edition of october 1978, he gave us some interesting tips and asked some good questions about provenance. His observations are still valuable today.

Ndébélé, Afrique du Sud

Beaded Ndebele dolls were made for adolescent girls either by their mothers or by the girls themselves. The Ndebele dressed their dolls much as they did their person. Sometimes beaded rings encircle the dolls arms, patterned after actual arm rings worn by Ndebele women.

Provenance : Daniel Rootenberg, New York Provenance : collection privée, Afrique du Sud 38

Ndébélé, Afrique du Sud

Radiographie de la poupée Ndébélé

Provenance : From the Collection of Peter Nelson, who was a Peace Corps volunteer, collector, and dealer. Collected in the 1970s

Ndébélé, Afrique du Sud

Provenance : ex collection Udo Hortsmann, Swiss collector of African and Oceanic art. Horstmann began collecting African art in South Africa in 1976

Provenance : Daniel Rootenberg, New York

Ntwane doll

Ntwane doll The emphasis on the Ntwane womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s central role as wives and mothers is pervasive even before female initiation. It finds its most visible form in the gimwane or popenyane â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a traditional fertility doll constructed from plaited grass, wool, and beads.

Provenance: Galerie Ezakwantu Franschhoek South Africa

The skills necessary for producing the gimwane are passed down from mother to daughter. Pre-initiate girls pretend the dolls are the progeny of their current boyfriends, who are invited to participate in a dance competition, the outcome of which determines the leader of the prepubescent group.

Provenance: Galerie Rose Korber, Cap Town South Africa 41

Pedi doll

Radiographie de la poupĂŠe Pedi

Dolls consists of a wooded core, wrapped in cloth then beaded and decorated with buttons, straw, & coins. Colorful and wonderful these dolls are more than fertility dolls; they are also used in the education and socialization of young girls. They are carried and talked to; a Pedi bride may carry a doll to signify her desire to have many children. She will look after the doll until the birth of her first child whom she will name after the doll. H:10.5" W:3.5"

Provenance Africa Beyond

Pedi doll

Venda doll This doll is made out of clay. The body is covered with cotton cloth. She's wearing a ceremonial hairstyle made of clay mixed with unspecified black substances. This headdress in decorated with buttons and incised motifs. The finial face is characterized by eyes represented by tiny white beads, a pointed nose and a very fine mouth. The doll is dressed as a traditional Pedi married woman with a beaded collar covering the breasts.

The style of headdress on this doll distinguishes a Pedi doll from dolls of the Zulu and Ndebele. Also, the Pedi are recognized as outstanding potter. Their pottery is one of the best in South Africa. Thus, it is not surprising to find dolls made of clay among this people. In these cultures such dolls were traditionally used as fertility dolls. (Allen Collection)

Venda doll - My guess is that it dates to the 1950's or 1960's. These doll type objects, called thahu, were worn under a beaded belt on a girl's buttock. see watercolor painting by Barbara Tyrrell and a photograph from the Duggan-Cronin archives showing how these dolls were worn. Provenance: ex Horstmann collection. Daniel Rootenberg, New York

Tsonga Shangaan doll

Tsonga / Shangaan dolls are called nwana, which meant 'child' and were dressed somewhat like their Tsonga Shangaan owners. Dolls were made by pubescent girls and later used in dances during their puberty ceremony called khomba or musubethu. When a girl married, she would take the doll with other items to her new home, where ultimately a real child replaced the doll.

Provenance, Collection privĂŠe, Afrique du Sud

Tsonga Shangaan doll

Provenance: Galerie Rose Korber, Cap Town South Africa 45

Sangoma dolls

The Sangoma dolls represent the Zulu Sangoma, herbalists and soothsayers, and are traditionally made by Zulu mothers for their children, using old rags, wool and beads, with a mealie-cob core. Purchased in the Royal National Park, 1993

Zulu doll

Afrique du Sud

bipartite (head and body), embroidered with miniature glass beads, rough cotton fabric backside, slightly dam. H: 33 cm, H: 13 inch Provenance Coll. Robert Terwindt, (The Netherlands) Painter; Water colorist; Mosaizist; Wall painter, born 1940.

Vente Zemanek-M端nster 5 mars 2011 (lot 418) 48

Kamba, Kenya

Kamba, Kenya Ethnic group: Kamba or Turkana, Country of origin: Kenya Materials: seed pods, beads, vegetal fibers, leather, Approximate age: Second half 20th century, Dimensions: 5 inches

Dolls made of seeds in the form of a male genitalia are found among the Kamba of Kenya. The doll is wearing beaded necklace and a leather apron decorated with beads. This kind of doll may be found among the Turkana of Kenya, in Zimbabwe, and in the Tanganyaka region of the Democratic Republic of Congo where doll like this were used in the initiation ceremonies of youth. 49

Turkana, Kenya

Turkana, Kenya A Vintage doll from the Turkana peoples of Northern Kenya.

It was collected in the 1960's by a Philadelphia family, full provenance to the buyer.

This doll is carved wood and adorned with woven human hair, animal hide skirt and old glass beads and shells. It was collected in the 1960's by a Philadelphia family, full provenance to the buyer. measures 14 inches tall and has a 3 lb

Turkana, Kenya

These dolls were purchased from a collector who lives in Washington D.C. He lived and worked for the U.S. government in Western Africa during the 1960's and 1970's. Coll. Eric and Lynda Sermon Literature Bofinger, Brigitte und Wolfgang, Puppen aus Afrika, Stuttgart 2006, p. 76 f.

Fanti, Ghana

Akuaba, Ashanti, Ghana

Très rare, poupée royale Fanti d’aspect un peu Kota, en fait, vient du pays Fanti entre Aboisso, Krindjabo (royaume du Sanwi) et le Ghana tout proche. Les ghanéens travaillent très bien le cuivre et l'aluminium en feuilles, martelées ou non. 43 cm.

Provenance : collection particulière Côte d’Ivoire

Akuaba, Ashanti, Ghana

Belle poupée Bois à patine sombre. Belle schématisation de cette poupée au corps allongé, la tête plate circulaire, le cou annelé et le visage stylisé.

Akuaba, Ashanti, Ghana

ex KDG Gallery, Melbourne, ex. Philip O.Korczynski Collection. Provenance : Kajetan Fiedorowicz, Australia

Haut : 38,5 cm

Akuaba, Ashanti, Ghana

Baoulé, Côte d’Ivoire

Baoulé, rares poupées de divination, adjuvants des Hommes et Femmes qui pratiquent ce don de lire l'avenir par les cauris; Très bien gardées et préservées dans les autels des familles des Lanceurs ou lanceuses de Cauris. Baoulé, Transmises de mère en fille et de Père en fils. 21 et 22 cm Provenance : collection particulière Côte d’Ivoire

Baoulé, Côte d’Ivoire Poupées guides d'adjamou ; elles viennent de M'Bahiakro. Les adjamous n'existent que dans trois ethnies : les baoulé, les dan et les attié. On sort les adjamous traditionnelles, le fétiche des adjamous et les guides d'adjamous que lorsque un orage s'abat sur un village et fait de gros dégâts voire des morts. ces trois types de fétiches sont censés demander pardon aux génies du ciel car dans leur croyance, c'est le village qui est coupable et a attiré la catastrophe. (Collection particulière, Côte d’Ivoire)

Baoulé, Côte d’Ivoire

Rare couple de jumelles, poupées objets de divination d'adjamou, hauteur 26 et 26,5, vient de Daoukro.

Provenance : collection particulière Côte d’Ivoire

Lobi

Lobi, Burkina Faso From the collection of Professor Wilford Morris of Purdue University. (1921-2010), engineer, agronomist, specialist of the Sahel (Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria) where he stayed in the late 1960's, 1970s, 1980s. Late 19th to early 20th century. Lobi figures are rare especially one with provenance. Legs and arms at sides. Blue pigment outlines the eyes and mouth. Size: 11 inches. Burkina Faso, Africa Gallerie Nimba, D.C. Rilling, Sellersville, Pensylvanie, USA.

Provenance : collection particulière Côte d’Ivoire

Lobi, Haute Volta

Tchad

MATERIAL : Wood . Pigment . Beads . Fibre ORIGIN : Chad DIMENSION 5.1 inches ( 13 cm )

H = 17.5 cm

Turkana, Kenya

BembĂŠ, RD Congo Janus Figure Kalunga. Materials: vegetal fibers, leather, Cotton fabric, beads, pigment Approximate Age: 1970's or earlier â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dimensions: Height is 11 inches Provenance: From the Collection of Peter Nelson, who was a Peace Corps volunteer, collector, and dealer. These pieces were collected in the 1970s and very early 1980s. This piece is from his personal collection.

Interesting miniature Janus figure. The two heads resting on a cylindrical base have details close to the Kalunga sculpture from the Bembe people. On one side the figure shows breasts, which means she represents a woman and the other side is supposed to be a man. Kalunga or Alunga means spirits. They are used to protect children and pregnant women from illness (See Cornet J. "A Survey of Zairian Art," 1978: 348). Thus, this miniature could have served as a protective or a fertility doll.

Himba, Namibia

Pendé, Angola

Grande poupée Pende coiffée d'un masque et revêtue du costume de danse. H : 65 cm Provenance :Vente Verviers, Belgique le 12/06/2010 (lot 233)

wood, reddish brown patina, rising from horseshoe-shaped legs, dressed with a skirt, a slender trunk adorned with string of metal beads, crowned by an oval head with schematized facial features, a flat, triangular nose and a coiffure consisting from real hair and colored miniature beads, min. dam., rep. (right arm), on wooden base.H: 25 cm, (5169/011) H: 9.8 inch Literature Bofinger, Brigitte und Wolfgang, Puppen aus Afrika, Stuttgart 2006, p. 110 ff.

Mafwe, Angola/Namibia Doll found with “Mafwe” people… They live on the Kwando river where Angola, Namibia, and Zambia come together. Down stream the river is called the Lynyatti and then the Chobe. Further upstream it is called the Luiana. This doll has age but is still relatively young, but that does not keep me from remaining with an example. I could not find other examples and was in the area for a full week. The Mafwe called the dolls Muchembele – which translated to “child”.

Matakam, Fali, Cameroun

Fali (or Namji) fertility doll, Cameroon. These doll-like figures were used for ritual purposes, as a protective fetish figure with beads and magical additions, or, in simpler pieces, as a fertility figure for young women. .

Provenance Ken Karmer Gallerie Ezakwantu 62

Matakam, Fali, Cameroun

Matakam, Fali, Cameroun Height: 25.5 cm Fiber, Rope, Hide, Pigment, Resin, Metal Early - Mid 20th Century Striking fetish abstract form aged surface

Matakam, Fali, Cameroun

Radiographie de la poupée Matakam, Fali.

Poupée de fécondité aux belles formes surréalistes épurées à l'extrême. Fer forgé, cuir, tissu et matières diverses. Fali, Nord Cameroun. 23x24cm

Vente Lyon Rive Gauche , 20 mai 2010.

Adan, Ghana.

Old Adan figure from southeast Ghana / Western Togo. A small tribe that neighbors the Ewe tribes of Ghana, the Adangbe produce these great small geometric dolls that combine great expression and tense dynamic lines.

h: 19 cm

h: 18 cm

Ewe, Ghana.

Ewe, Ghana An encrusted and charming doll fetish figure from the Ewe tribe of Ghana .

From the Ewe tribe in Ghana comes this delightful doll adorned with a bead necklace.

It has unusually a old cotton cloth wrapped around the body , the cloth looks old and wear and exposure to the statue is evidence of tribal use and age .

Abstracted form with simplified facial features. Even so the character of this doll is palpable.

The layers of cotton adorn the wood statue as symbolic protection In nice condition, some old wear to cloth, custom mounted base. A genuine tribally used object . Height approx 20 cm .

Facial features worn down with tribal handling. Silky smooth patina. A genuine tribally-used artefact, custom mounted on a wooden stand. In good condition. Weathering lines visible on right of face and chest. Height 19 cm or 7.5 inches. Weight 310g

Ewe, Ghana

Legba, Togo.

Nombreuses charges traces d'offrandes patine crouteuse par endroits Bon ĂŠtat avec des traces d'usage, Dimensions : hauteur : 33 cm larg: 8 cm ĂŠpaisseur: 5 cm,

Origine inconnue

Somba, Northern Togo

Venavi, Ewé, Togo

An intriguing bone doll from the Somba tribe of northern Togo . Decorated with glass beads .

Os incrusté de cauris et orné de perles de verre

The patina and soft feel to the bone shows lots of use . A genuine tribally used object Height approx 20 cm

H = 22 cm