Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 15

Pair of Serpent Headdresses by Baga artists from Guinea, Early 20th Century

$12,000List Priceper set

About the Item

Pair of Serpent Headdresses (A-MANTSHO-NA-TSHOL) in carved wood with pigment by Baga artists, Guinea, Africa, early-20th century. From the Casamance region of Senegal to that of the Fouta Djallon in northern Guinea, the supreme manifesation of spiritual force is referred to as Ninkinanka. Associated with the danger of the boa constrictor and the allure of luminous rainbows, Ninkinanka may satisfy a petitioner’s deepest desires, whether for rain, worldly riches, or to be cured for infertility, but at potentially great cost. In Baga society, celebrations marking the culminatin of male initiation rites have evoked this force through an undulating column rising heavenward, referred to as the “master of medicine”, or a-Mantsho-na-Tshol. During the 1950’s, Baga communities underwent forced conversion to Islam that led to the abandonment of earlier religious and artistic traditions. A campaign of attacks against those practices resulted in the confiscation and sale or destruction of creations such as these. A decade later, indigenous religious practices were outlawed entirely by the Marxist nation government of Guinea’s first head of state, Sekou Toure. While no record exists of the once dynamic performance genre that incorporated such sculptures, they were likely positioned at the summit of a costume. Secured over the head of an especially strong dancer within a conical framework of palm branches. It was accented with decorative feathers and streamers. Reference: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, The African Origin of Civilization by Diana Craig Patch and Alisa LaGamma, Spring 2022. There is a photo of this same type of sculpture on page 40 with the description quoted above. Dimensions of Large Headdress: W: 12 inches D: 9 inches H: 83 inches Dimensions of Small Headdress: W: 13 inches D: 9 inches H: 61 inches.

Dimensions:
Height: 83 in (210.82 cm)Width: 12 in (30.48 cm)Depth: 9 in (22.86 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 2
Style:
Tribal (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Paint,Wood,Hand-Crafted
Place of Origin:
Guinea
Period:
Early 20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Early 20th Century
Condition:
Seller Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
Seller: sculpture1651stDibs: LU783829591632

Early 20th Century Malian Tribal Mounted Objects

Materials

Wood

Early 20th Century Chiwara Headdress, Bamana Bambara People, Mali

$3,900

H 21 in W 7.5 in D 4.5 in

Western African, Guinea or Senegal Baga Serpent Sculptures on Custom Iron Stands

Located in Miami, FL

Western African, Guinea or Senegal Baga serpent sculptures on Custom Iron Stands Offered for sale is a pair of outstanding Western African (Guinea) Baga society carved and painted wood serpent...

Category

Late 20th Century Guinean Tribal Animal Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Western African, Guinea or Senegal Baga Serpent Sculptures on Custom Iron Stands

$10,000 / set

H 91 in W 14 in D 14 in

Baga a-Bamp Bird Headdress with Canoe

Located in Chicago, IL

This graceful sculpture of a long-necked bird is a headdress known as "a-Bamp," worn during ritual masquerades of Baga adolescents in Guinea. With strong themes of defiance, these ma...

Category

Mid-20th Century Guinean Tribal Animal Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Baga a-Bamp Bird Headdress with Canoe

$2,380

H 43.25 in W 11.75 in D 18 in

Papau New Guinea Sentani Mounted Nephrite Axe, Early 20th Century

Located in Bishop s Stortford, Hertfordshire

Large and exceptional vintage tribal carved green jade/nephrite axe from Sentani, Papau New Guinea. The Axe is mounted in a custom made bronze base and is...

Category

Early 20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Mounted Objects

Materials

Stone

Papau New Guinea Sentani Mounted Nephrite Axe, Early 20th Century

$1,090

Free Shipping

H 17.72 in W 3.94 in D 3.35 in

Early 20th Century Sago Peg, Abelam/Wosera People, Papua New Guinea

Located in Point Richmond, CA

Sago peg, tapak, Abelam/Wosera people, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea Sago pegs are used to secure a screen mesh during the preparation of sago flour. This example depicts a ...

Category

Early 20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Shell

Early 20th Century Sago Peg, Abelam/Wosera People, Papua New Guinea

$850 / item

H 4 in W 6 in D 2 in

Marble Sculpture of Hercules Fighting the Serpents, Italy, Early 20th Century

Located in Madrid, ES

Elegant and finely carved marble sculpture depicting Hercules as a child fighting the serpents, a classic scene from Greek mythology. Made in Italy in the first half of the 20th cent...

Category

Vintage 1920s Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble

Marble Sculpture of Hercules Fighting the Serpents, Italy, Early 20th Century

$3,776 Sale Price

20% Off

H 28.75 in W 13.78 in D 10.24 in

20th Century New Guinea Drum with Drumstick

Located in Winnetka, IL

Hand-carved wooden drum from New Guinea, featuring intricate painted patterns in white, red, and black across the cylindrical body. The surface displays symmetrical curvilinear motif...

Category

Mid-20th Century Guinean Animal Sculptures

Materials

Hardwood

20th Century New Guinea Drum with Drumstick

$450

H 8 in W 9 in D 32 in

Early 20th Century Belu "Female" Door from Timor Island

Located in Atlanta, GA

An early 20th century carved wood door panel from Timor Island in the Indonesian archipelago. This antique wall panel from Timor Island (an isl...

Category

20th Century Indonesian Tribal Mounted Objects

Materials

Metal

Early 20th Century Belu "Female" Door from Timor Island

$3,935

H 58 in W 18 in D 10 in

Early 20th Century English Pair of Bulldogs

Located in Round Top, TX

A delightful pair of early 20th century Bulldogs from England in painted concrete. Charming!.

Category

Early 20th Century English Garden Ornaments

Materials

Concrete

Early 20th Century English Pair of Bulldogs

$4,375 / set

H 18.63 in W 9.88 in D 10.5 in

Pair of Early 20th Century Brass Egrets

Located in Charleston, SC

Pair of early 20th century brass egrets.

Category

Early 20th Century Animal Sculptures

Pair of Early 20th Century Brass Egrets

$2,800 / set

H 18 in Dm 6.5 in

More From This Seller

View All

African Hand-Carved Wooden Ladder Sculpture 20th Century

Located in New York, NY

Hand-carved wooden ladder on a black square base originally used to to access multi story residences built in cliffs by the Dogon Tribe, Mali 20th century. This is a stunning accent ...

Category

20th Century Malian Tribal Mounted Objects

Materials

Metal

African Hand-Carved Wooden Ladder Sculpture 20th Century

$12,000

Impressive Pair of Artisan Neoclassical Malachite Urns 20th-Century

Located in New York, NY

Pair of beautifully crafted Neoclassical style urns in polished malachite, Italian from the second half of the 20th century. These are absolutely magnificent and would be showstopper...

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Urns

Materials

Malachite

Impressive Pair of Artisan Neoclassical Malachite Urns 20th-Century

$15,000 / set

Karl Springer Standing Buddha Sculpture in Gilt Bronze 19th Century

By Karl Springer

Located in New York, NY

Beautifully made large 19th century Siam standing Buddha sculpture in gilt bronze sold through the Karl Springer showroom on custom ebonized wood ...

Category

Antique 19th Century Thai Other Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Gold Leaf

Karl Springer Standing Buddha Sculpture in Gilt Bronze 19th Century

$7,500

Artisan Hand-Carved Chinese Rhino Table in Solid Jade 20th Century

Located in New York, NY

Hand-carved rhinoceros in solid jade with a newly lacquered table top by Lobel Modern, Chinese 20th Century. The intricacy and artisanship of the carving is completely stunning.

Category

20th Century Chinese Modern Side Tables

Materials

Jade

Artisan Hand-Carved Chinese Rhino Table in Solid Jade 20th Century

$7,500

Artisan Wall Sculpture Of An Ancient Greek Man in Pewter On Wood 1950s

Located in New York, NY

Artisan made face of an ancient Greek man with a laurel wreath molded in pewter and set on a walnut backing, American 1950's. This captivating work is beautifully made.

Category

Vintage 1950s American Modern Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Pewter

Artisan Wall Sculpture Of An Ancient Greek Man in Pewter On Wood 1950s

$4,500

Naomi Feinberg "Amanecer" Sculpture in Red Granite, 1970s

By Naomi Feinberg

Located in New York, NY

Extraordinary hand carved organic sculpture "Amanecer" in red granite on a white lacquered wood base by Naomi Feinberg, American 1970s. Naomi Feinberg was a New York based sculpto...

Category