douglas dawson from the fire historic african ceramics
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douglas dawson from the fire historic african ceramics
INFO@DOUGLASDAWSON.COM
VESSEL DOGON CULTURE MALI 11.5"×14.5" 18727
From the Fire Historic African Ceramics The 1990’s was a decade of revelation. Every few months a previously unseen type of pottery vessel from Africa appeared on the market. Young African traders quickly communicated this new interest among Westerners to African dealers operating in the capitals of various African nations. These dealer’s cadres of runners scoured remote villages for old, mostly discarded vessels that had been replaced by either plastic or enamel pots. Shipping containers were filled with pots – together with cords of recently-made wooden sculpture. Most of these containers wound up on the docks of New York City where they easily cleared customs. Once cleared, the cargo entered one of several large storage facilities in Midtown Manhattan. Here the African importer was met by other Africans who lived in the US and who had excellent command of English, a thorough knowledge of the art market – and most importantly a van and road map of the United States. These American-based ‘runners’ fanned out across the country with vans full of dubious sculpture but with a few authentic pots tucked in among the wood. It was an exciting time. We few dealers and collectors who were interested in African ceramics in those years experienced the thrill of seeing these pots for the first time – and seeing in them an ancient tradition very different from any other great ceramic tradition. 2015 finds a different picture. 911 changed much. Africans who once traveled freely between Africa and the US were now denied visas. Customs, armed with the Patriot Act, became impossible to maneuver without costly legal advice and lengthy delays. The supply of old pots emerging from villages diminished significantly and exotic fake pots appeared. Today museums and collectors are interested in the best and most interesting African pots in any category. Encyclopedic collections representing all of Africa are now difficult to assemble. Today one may not experience the revelation of the 90’s but truly remarkable vessels are still available and still inexpensive compared to the price of comparable, authentic wooden sculpture. This catalog contains some types we have not shown before. Among them the collection of eccentric vessels from the Utyo region of the DRC. (pp.70–71) The Berber plate, (p.4) beautifully decorated with pre-firing slip in complex geometric patterns is rare and not before seen in one of this gallery’s catalogs. The stunning Tumbuka vessel, field collected in Malawi, is a masterpiece of this class of vessel. Nupe stand pots (pp.107–109), so archaic and architectonic in feeling, likewise appear here for the first time. Today excellent collecting opportunities remain and the sense of revelation is undiminished. The museum bias against ceramics, once so suffocating, has cleared to a significant degree and increasingly great ceramic vessels and sculpture live among wooded artifacts in museum halls. It is still a very exciting time to consider African ceramics. Douglas Dawson, Chicago, December, 2015
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COUSCOUS PLATTER BERBER GRAND KABYLIE ALGERIA 3.5"×15.5" 18882
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BEER VESSEL HLABISA AREA NORTH ZULULAND SOUTH AFRICA 15"×22" 18053
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CASSAVA FERMENTATION VESSELS NYAKUSA CULTURE MAWALI / TANZANIA L 11.5"×17" 18893 R 11"×16" 18405
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STORAGE VESSEL BURKINA FASO 22"×20" 10962
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SHANGO SHRINE VESSEL YORUBA CULTURE NIGERIA 19"×22" 14838
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WATER / PALM WINE VESSEL BAMUN CULTURE BABESSI CAMEROON 17.5"×18" 16479
WATER / PALM WINE VESSEL BAMUN CULTURE BABESSI CAMEROON 18"×17" 18103
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SHRINE VESSEL MALI 17.5"×20.5" 18898
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STORAGE VESSEL MAMBILA CULTURE CAMEROON 15"×12" 19027
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BEER VESSELS ZULU CULTURE SOUTH AFRICA L 10.5"×13" 18186 R 12"×12" 18185
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PALM WINE VESSEL YAMBA / GOM CULTURE CAMEROON 19.75"×16" 18873
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CASSAVA FERMENTATION VESSEL NYAKUSA CULTURE MALAWI / TANZANIA 10"×14.5" 18406
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CASSAVA FERMENTATION VESSEL NYAKUSA CULTURE MALAWI / TANZANIA 18"×26" 18399
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STORAGE VESSEL CHEWA CULTURE SOUTHERN MALAWI 16"×16" 18409
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FOOD VESSELS GRASSLANDS CAMEROON L 10.5"×15.5" 19048 R 9.5"×13" 19049
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STORAGE VESSEL BAMUN CULTURE CAMEROON 20"×20" 6319
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STORAGE VESSEL IBO CULTURE NIGERIA 26"×19" 14402
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LIDDED TREASURE STORAGE VESSEL GURUNSI CULTURE BURKINA FASO 16"×14" 13241
STORAGE VESSEL DAGARI CULTURE BURKINA FASO 16"×16" 10918
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BEER VESSEL KARIBA REGION UGANDA 22.25"×19.5" 18890
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STORAGE VESSEL TUMBUKA CULTURE MALAWI 16"×21" 18407
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HONEY VESSEL MANDINGO CULTURE GUINEA 18"×14" 4626
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WATER VESSEL BEKALEBWE / SONGYE CULTURE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO 22"×15.5" 18886
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WATER VESSEL SONGYE CULTURE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO 18"×15" 13111
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BOTTLES ZANDE / MANGBETU CULTURE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO L 11"×6" 18878 M 9"×7" 18892 R 8"×4" 10936
WATER VESSEL BEKALEBWE / SONGYE CULTURE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO L 21"×15" 18887 BOTTLES ZANDE / MANGBETU CULTURE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO M 7"×5" 10937 R 8"×6.25" 18891
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STORAGE VESSEL KONGOBA MALI 18"×15" 10440
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BOTTLE CONGO 11.5"×7.5" 18983
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STORAGE VESSEL JERMA CULTURE NIGER 22"×15" 3990
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BOTTLE YAKKA CULTURE CONGO 15.5"×10" 18637
BOTTLE TUTSI CULTURE RWANDA 13.5"×9" 19024
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POURING VESSEL MATAKAM CULTURE CHAD 21"×17" 11198
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BOTTLES TUTSI CULTURE RWANDA L 9.25"×7" 18883 R 9.5"×7.5" 18884
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STORAGE VESSEL BASA NKWOMO CULTURE NIGERIA 14.5"×16" 19054
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ANCESTOR VESSEL GA’ANDA CULTURE BENUE VALLEY NIGERIA 21"×12" 18876
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ANCESTOR VESSEL GA’ANDA CULTURE BENUE VALLEY NIGERIA 25"×16" 15677
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BOTTLES TEKKE / TIO CULTURE UTYO RIVER AREA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO L 10"×10.5"×5" 18987 M 12"×9.5"×8" 18984 R 11"×6.5" 18982
BOTTLES TEKKE / TIO CULTURE UTYO RIVER AREA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO L 11.5"×8"×8.5" 18988 M 12.5"×9"×7.5" 18986 R 6.5"×7"×3" 18985
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STORAGE VESSEL SENUFO CULTURE KOUMANTOU MALI 18.5"×16" 18881
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SHRINE VESSEL BAATONU CULTURE BENIN 16"×13" 14644
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RITUAL LAMP CROSS RIVER AREA NIGERIA 19.5"×12" 18875
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SHRINE VESSEL AFO CULTURE GHANA 16"×10" 19025
SHRINE VESSEL EWE CULTURE TOGO 28"×17" 13090
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PALM WINE CONTAINER DEGHA CULTURE GHANA 11.5"×11" 18989
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RITUAL VESSEL YORUBA CULTURE NIGERIA 14.5"×15" 16577
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RITUAL VESSEL LUBA / LUNDA CULTURE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO 10.5"×8" 17244
RITUAL VESSEL MAKONDE CULTURE TANZANIA 12.5"×9" 18101
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BREWING VESSEL LOBI CULTURE BURKINA FASO 14"×15.5" 18902
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MEDICINE VESSEL BURKINA FASO 18.5"×16" 16657
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SHRINE VESSEL FON CULTURE BENIN 16"×18" 14466
MEDICINE VESSEL LOBI CULTURE BURKINA FASO 15"×15" 18879
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EATING BOWL BAMENDA CULTURE CAMEROON 9.5"×10.5" 18864
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WATER VESSEL NUPE CULTURE PATEGI AREA NIGERIA 17"×16.5" 18896
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BREWING VESSEL MAKONDE CULTURE TANZANIA / MOZAMBIQUE 22"×26" 17259
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BOTTLES NDOMBE / SENGELE CULTURE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO L 16"×7.5" 18992 R 17"×8.5" 18993
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PALM WINE VESSEL IBO CULTURE OWERRI NKREVI AREA NIGERIA 18"×11" 19050
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BOTTLE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO 15"×12" 18996
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PITCHER NUPE CULTURE NIGERIA 16"×13" 5754
BOTTLE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO 10.5"×6.5" 18995
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POT STAND / STORAGE VESSEL NUPE CULTURE NIGERIA 27"×13" 267
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POT STANDS / STORAGE VESSELS NUPE CULTURE NIGERIA L 16"×10" 18874 R 24"×13" 18084
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BOTTLE TUTSI CULTURE BURUNDI 15"×10"×11" 19061
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BEER VESSEL KWAZULU PROVINCE SOUTH AFRICA 12.5"×15.5" 18888
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For additional information and pricing 224 South Michigan Ave Suite 266 Chicago IL 60604 P 312.226.7975 F 312.226.7974 E info@douglasdawson.com
This catalog was published in conjunction with a major exhibition EDITOR DOUGLAS DAWSON
of African ceramics—From the Fire Historic African Ceramics,
DESIGN THIRST 3ST.COM
exhibited at Douglas Dawson Gallery in 2015.
PHOTOGRAPHY ROSS FLOYD ROSSFLOYD.COM Copyright © 2015 by Douglas Dawson F. COVER WATER VESSEL NUPE CULTURE NIGERIA 17"×16.5" 18896
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced
B. COVER BOTTLE IBO CULTURE NIGERIA 19"×12" 14464
in any manner without permission in writing from Douglas Dawson.
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