S e P te MB e R i SS ue
WHO We aRe
The Tribal Art Society features an online catalogue every month listing quality works of Asian art that have been thoroughly vetted by our select members, who are the in-house experts.
By bringing together a group of trusted dealers specializing in Tribal art, our platform offers a unique collection of works of art that collectors will not find anywhere else online. To ensure the highest standards, gallery membership is by invitation only and determined by a selection committee.
Cover image: detail of a Moai Vie. Presented by Galerie Flak on p. 60 /TribalArtSociety
S e P te MB e R a R t WORKS
Pieces are published and changed each month. The objects are presented with a full description and corresponding dealer’s contact information. Unlike auction sites or other platforms, we empower collectors to interact directly with the member dealers for enquiries and purchases by clicking on the e-mail adress.
In order to guarantee the quality of pieces available in the catalogues, objects are systematically validated by all our select mebers, who are the inhouse experts. Collectors are therefore encouraged to decide and buy with complete confidence. In addition to this, the Tribal Art Society proposes a seven-day full money back return policy should the buyer not feel totally satisfied with a purchase.
Feel free to ask the price if the artwork is listed with a price on request.
D O uala S tOO l
Stool
Douala
Cameroon 19th century
49 cm x 30 cm
Provenance: UK private collection Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y: Adam Prout
T.: + 44 7725 689 801 E.: adam@adamprout.com W.: www.adamprout.com
An exceptional Douala stool with the name ‘R.Livsey’ carved into one side and the other with two classical looking figures holding vases and a bird in the central section. Very good condition for age.
02
u B angi F igu R e
Ngbaka figure
Ubangi region
Northern D.R. of the Congo
Early 20th century
Carved wood, beads
Height: 24 cm
Provenance:
Ex collection William Brill (19182003), New York
Ex collection John Dintenfass, New York, acquired from the above
Ex collection Leridon, Paris
Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
Julien Flak
M.: +33 6 84 52 81 36
E.: contact@galerieflak.com
W.: www.galerieflak.com
This figure is a classic example of ancient Ubangi art. These statuettes were used for healing, protection, and divination purposes. The face, with its stylized features and magnetic red beaded eyes, combined with the geometric, almost cubist construction, conveys a profound sense of power and poetry.
According to G. Crabbeck (see Les Gbwaka in the ""Bulletin des juridictions indigènes et du droit coutumier congolais,"" 1943), carved figures were imbued with power (bekimi) and were akin to fetishes.
This Ubangi figure is part of our thematic exhibition “Ensembles” that will be on view during Parcours des Mondes 2024 at the Galerie Flak, Sept 10-15, 2024.
Baule P ulley
Heddle pulley
Baule
Ivory Coast
Early 20th century
Wood
Height: 18 cm
Provenance:
McNemar collection, New York
Price: 2.500 euros
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
Guilhem Montagut
T.: + 34 931 414 319
E.: monica@galeriamontagut.com
W.: www.galeriamontagut.com
Linked to another form of creation - the art of textile - pulleys are a typical production from West Africa, and more particularly from the Ivory Coast, where they were designed by master carvers from the Baule, Senufo, Guro, Yaure, Agni, Bete or Djimini ethnic groups, in various forms inspired by the repertoire of ritual statuary and dance masks.
Dan F igu R e
Figure Dan Ivory Coast Late 19th century
Wood Height: 58 cm
Provenance: Private collection, Spain
Rachel Montagut, Barcelona
Publication:
África: colecciones privada Barcelona. Barcelona, 2003 Price on request
While Dan sculpture from Côte d'Ivoire is renowned, particularly for the aesthetic quality of its forms, characterized by the purity and harmony of the delicate modeling of its masks, its standing statuary, which is unique and combines expressive power with refined ornamentation, is much less known.
These imposing female figures, notable for their presence and pronounced features, called lü me, ""wooden person,"" are neither ancestor figures nor spirit representations. They are living portraits, as confirmed by all research reports related to Dan statuary.
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
Guilhem Montagut
T.: + 34 931 414 319 E.: monica@galeriamontagut.com W.: www.galeriamontagut.com
Dan M a SK
Mask
Dan Ivory Coast Early 20th century Wood Height: 22 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, United Kingdom (acquired by descendance)
Price: 12.000 euros
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y: David Serra
T.: +34 (0) 667525597
E.: galeria@davidserra.es W.: www.davidserra.es
D O g O n SC ul P tu R e
Sculpture
Dogon Mali
17th century – 19th century, C-14 analysis by CIRAM
Wood Height: 24,3 cm
Provenance: Private collection, U.S.A.
Price: 7.000 euros
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
David Serra
T.: +34 (0) 667525597
E.: galeria@davidserra.es W.: www.davidserra.es
g u Ru Pulley
Heddle Pulley
Guru
Ivory Coast
Late 19th-early 20th century
Wood Height: 21,5 cm
Pace Inv# 54-5700
Provenance:
Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York
Sotheby’s New York. African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art Including Property from the Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation. 13 May 2011. Lot 199
Private collection, New York
Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
James Stephenson
M.: +1 646.644.7156
E: info@stephensonafricanart.com
W.: www.stephensonafricanart.com
Hei t i K i
Figure Maori
New Zealand Nephrite, jade 85 mm
Provenance: Private collection Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y: Mark Eglinton
M.: +1 646-675-7150
E.: markeglinton@icloud.com
IG.: @markeglintontribalart
K at S ina DO ll
Ma'alo Katsina (variant)The Stick Katsina doll
Hopi
Arizona, USA
Circa 1910-20s
Carved wood (cottonwood root), pigments and feathers
Height: 23,5 cm - 34 cm including the feathers
Provenance:
Ex collection John C. Hill, USA
Ex private collection, USA
Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
Julien Flak
M.: +33 6 84 52 81 36
E.: contact@galerieflak.com
W.: www.galerieflak.com
Katsina dolls (or katsinam) represent spirits or gods from the pantheon of the Pueblo peoples in the American Southwest. Given to children, katsina dolls constituted a teaching tool allowing them to familiarize themselves with the spiritual world and perpetuating knowledge of the founding myths on which their society was based.
This doll is probably of variant of Ma’alo (the Stick Katsina). The Ma’alo Dancer appeared during Niman (the Home-Going Ceremony) on the First Mesa and during Night Dances or plaza ceremonies in the other Hopi villages. His arrival was a prayer for rain and for bountiful harvests. It seems that Ma'alo dances have become increasingly rare over the past century, with this spirit gradually being replaced by other figures from the pantheon playing a similar role.
For more information about Katsinam, one may refer to the new publication: “L’Appel des Kachinas - Katsina Calling”, edited by Julien Flak, with essays by Danielle Moretti-Langholtz, Marie Mauzé, Julien Flak & Barry Walsh
210 pages, texts in French and English © Editions L’Enfance de l’Art, September 2024
Ku B a CuP
Cup Kuba
D.R. of the Congo
Length: 22 cm
Provenance:
Bernard Mulack
Bonhams, New York, “African & Oceanic”, 10 November 2022. Lot 98. Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
James Stephenson
M.: +1 646.644.7156
E: info@stephensonafricanart.com
W.: www.stephensonafricanart.com
Ku B a Cu P
Anthropomorphic cup
Kuba
D.R. of the Congo (Congo Kinshasa), Western Kasai, Central Congo
Wood and oils
Height: 18 cm
Provenance: Private coillection, Waban, MA02168
Helen and Phillip Leloup, Paris, 1991 Arts Primitifs, 9, quai Malaquis, Paris, 75006
Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
Mark Eglinton
M.: +1 646-675-7150
E.: markeglinton@icloud.com
IG.: @markeglintontribalart
With the original Leloup receipt from 1991.
Kulang O F igu R e
Figure
Kulango Ivory Coast Bronze Height: 6 cm
Provenance: Guy Van Rijn collection Price: 1.200 euros
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
Guilhem Montagut
T.: + 34 931 414 319 E.: monica@galeriamontagut.com W.: www.galeriamontagut.com
Amulet used in divinatory rites. This double figure represents two figures whose bodies are projected forward, their hands resting on their hips.
Beautiful oxidation patina.
ligBi MaSK
Mask
Ligbi Ivory Coast
Late 19th – early 20th century
Wood, pigments
Height: 27,9 cm
Provenance: Galerie Ratton-Hourdé, Paris
Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
James Stephenson
M.: +1 646.644.7156
E: info@stephensonafricanart.com W.: www.stephensonafricanart.com
For a similar example see the British Museum archives, number Oc1944,02.197.
Matau W it H an i RO n B a RB
Hook
Maori New Zealand 19th century
Length: 10 cm
Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y: Adam Prout
T.: + 44 7725 689 801 E.: adam@adamprout.com W.: www.adamprout.com
ea S te R i S lan D
F igu R e
Moai Vie female figure
Easter Island - Rapa Nui
Second half of the 19th century
Carved wood, bone, obsidian
Height: 69 cm
Provenance:
Ex collection Stéphane Mangin, Paris
Ex Christie’s Paris, 7 June 2005, lot 131
Thence in a private collection, Paris, acquired at the above sale
Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
Julien Flak
M.: +33 6 84 52 81 36
E.: contact@galerieflak.com
W.: www.galerieflak.com
Rapa Nui wood-carved human figures are all called moai . There are various types of moai such as moai kavakava (figure with protruding ribcage), moai papa (female figure), moai vie (another type of female figure) and moai tangata (male figure).
The figure described here can be classified as moai vie .
The face of the moai figure described here has similarities with a moai vie : a straight nose, rectangular-shaped ears, no tattoo marks on the skull. The erect posture is also characteristic of a moai vie . Stylistically, the faces of moai vie are closely related to the celebrated stone heads ( moai aringa ora ). Despite their obvious differences in size, their awe-inspiring expressivity and the intensity of their gaze are similarly impressive Wood-carved human figures are said to be the representations of ancestors. They were kept in private houses and used for domestic worship. They were presumably also presented during public ceremonies.
This rare and large Easter Island figure is part of our thematic exhibition “Ensembles” that will be on view during Parcours des Mondes 2024 at the Galerie Flak, Sept 10-15, 2024.
S HO na H ea DR e S t
Headrest Mutsago Shona Zimbabwe
19th century Wood and metal
Height: 14 cm
Provenance: K. John Hewett (1919-1994), United Kingdom
Private collection, Europe
Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
David Serra
T.: +34 (0) 667525597
E.: galeria@davidserra.es
W.: www.davidserra.es
n u K u ORO atO ll StOO l
Stool Te tuai Caroline Islands 19th century Wood and oil
Height: 42 cm
Width: 29,5 cm
Length: 65 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, USA Merton Simpson, NYC 2002 Price
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
Mark Eglinton
M.: +1 646-675-7150
E.: markeglinton@icloud.com
IG.: @markeglintontribalart
18
OKV i K F igu R e
Human figure
Okvik, Old Bering Sea I culture -
Ancient Eskimo
Alaska
200 BC – 100 AD
Marine ivory
Height: 7,5 cm
Provenance:
Excavated from the permafrost in Kialegak, St Lawrence Island, summer 1984
Ex collection Bill & Carol Wolf, Hawthorne, New Jersey, USA
Ex collection Donald Ellis, Ontario, Canada
Ex collection Guy Porré & Nathalie Chaboche, Paris
Publication:
« Art of the Arctic, Reflections of the Unseen », Donald Ellis, 2016, pl. 17 Price on request
This hieratic figure in fossilized ivory constitutes an extremely rare, archetypal example of archaic Eskimo art. It belongs to the very small corpus of the great classic art of the Okvik culture (Old Bering Sea I) which was born and developed on St. Lawrence Island at the southern part of the Bering Strait more than 2,000 years ago.
Okvik figures in marine ivory were used during ceremonies linked to fertility as well as for ensuring successful hunting expeditions.
Objects used to transmit knowledge and as aides for shamanic practices, these sculptures constituted a privileged channel for communicating with the invisible world of the spirits.
This human figure is distinguished by the purity and elongation of its lines. The treatment of the face vividly evokes the work of certain 20th century artists, such as Amedeo Modigliani or Constantin Brancusi.
This millennia-old sculpture from Alaska is part of our thematic exhibition “Ensembles” that will be on view during Parcours des Mondes 2024 at the Galerie Flak, Sept 10-15, 2024.
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
Julien Flak
M.: +33 6 84 52 81 36
E.: contact@galerieflak.com
W.: www.galerieflak.com
Sin DH SH iel D
Shield
Sindh Pakistan
19th century
Wooden core with iron handles
Diam.: 52 cm
Price:
Prout
T.: + 44 7725 689 801
E.: adam@adamprout.com
W.: www.adamprout.com
There is a small group shields related this one in the Pitt Rivers museum that were collected before 1909, purchased from Frank Godfrey an antiques dealer with a shop based in Oxford. Another was possibly collected by Henry Balfour in the field before 1911. number 1911.10.2. The shield here is painted hide over a very thin wooden core with iron handles. It is one of ten or less known still to exist. This example is larger than all of the others in the Pitt Rivers, there is one in the collections of the Met that is roughly the same size. The quality of the construction and the painted decoration front and back, is exceptional. The Pitt Rivers inventory records them as Pakistan, Sindh and so maybe these were Baloch?
S O ngye Figu R e
Nkisi figure
Songye
D.R. of the Congo
Wood, brass
Height: 23,5 cm
Provenance:
Irwin Hersey, New York
Stewart Warkow, New York
Alfie Schienberg, New York
Publication & Exhibition:
New York, Jamaica Arts Center, African Sculpture from the Stewart Warkow collection, May 20 – June 5, 1977, fig. 10
Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
James Stephenson
M.: +1 646.644.7156
E: info@stephensonafricanart.com
W.: www.stephensonafricanart.com
MaOR i S ta FF
Orators staff Tokotoko Maori
New Zealand 19th century Length: 88 cm
Provenance: U.K. collection
Price on request
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y: Adam Prout
T.: + 44 7725 689 801 E.: adam@adamprout.com W.: www.adamprout.com
A Maori orators staff tokotoko dating to the 19th century. The Pau shell eyes are missing and would have been held in position with sealing wax and small wooden pins.
yORu B a t W in F igu R e
Twin Figure
Yoruba Nigeria
Wood, metal, beads and shells
Height: 22,2 cm
Provenance:
Helena Rubinstein, Paris and New York
Parke-Bernet Galleries, The Helena Rubinstein Collection, New York 1966. Lot 177.
Private collection, New York, acquired at the above auction
Thence by descent to the present owner
Publication:
Hélène Joubert, ed., Helena Rubinstein. La collection de Madame, Paris, 2019, p. 217, cat. no. 177
Price
O B je C t P R e S ente D B y:
Mark Eglinton
M.: +1 646-675-7150
E.: markeglinton@icloud.com
IG.: @markeglintontribalart
