African Folk Art

Amazing and scarce JUDAICA object, we have here one of the most touching jewish objects we had for a long time, this small silver dowry box was made in Algeria in the early 19th century, it is all covered with symbols of jewish faith and of couples, the sliding lid has 2 flanking birds with hamsa (protective hand) on each side and a flower vase in the middle. one side shows two flanking lions with a tree in the middle and the other side shows again two big and two small birds with a flower bowl in the middle, front side has a key hole and next to it there is the Hebrew inscription ס״ט״" which says Siman tov or in English "a good sign" it is taken from the wedding blessing, underneath the lock there is another inscription with the name ״עזיזה בת אברהם בן חמו״ which is the name of the bride, her father and her grandfathers name. the box is full marked a lot of times with the silversmith mark, every side of the box is marked. this box was probably ordered by the grooms family to hold the jewelry they are giving to the bride as dowry, this type of objects are rare and there are just a few of them on museum collections. DOWRY (Heb. נְדֻנְיָה), the property a wife brings to her husband at marriage; the Yiddish equivalent, nadn, is from the same root. The custom of nedunyah became clearly defined and institutionalized only in the talmudic period. In biblical times, mohar (מֹהַר), whereby the groom bought his wife from her father (Gen. 24:53; Ex. 22:15–16; Hos. 3:2), was the accepted practice. It was then customary that the groom give the bride gifts, and that she bring certain property to her husband's home upon marriage: slaves, cattle, real estate, etc. (cf. Gen. 24:59–61; 29; Judg. 1:14ff.; I Kings 9:16). Evidence of the custom of nedunyah is to be found in Tobit (7:14; 8:21) and in the Assuan papyri (Cowley, Aramaic, nos. 15, 18). Gradually, mohar was superseded by the ketubbah custom according to which the husband merely assumed the responsibility of compensation to his wife in case he divorced her: he had to pay her 200 zuzim if she had been a virgin at the time of marriage, and 100 zuzim if a widow or divorcée (see *Ketubbah). By talmudic times, the institution of nedunyah was prevalent; the father gave a dowry to the bride since the daughter was excluded from paternal inheritance. Fifty zuzim (equivalent to the worth of 180 grams of silver) was the minimum amount a father was obliged to give to his daughter (Ket. 6:5). Parents usually gave much more, according to their social standing. Community funds provided the dowry for an orphan or a very poor girl (ibid.; cf. Sh. Ar., YD 251:8). In case of her father's death, the brothers of a minor girl were obliged to give her the minimum dowry, and the court estimated how much her father would have given her above the minimum dowry. The sum was then taken out of the father's estate and given to the daughter upon majority (Ket. 6:6; 68a–69b). In the absence of such an estimate, each daughter was entitled to receive one-tenth of the value of her father's estate in money, or in valuables (Yad, Ishut, 20:4–7; Sh. Ar., EH 113:4). If the father was unable or unwilling to pay the promised dowry at the betrothal ceremony, the groom could refuse to marry his bride (Ket. 13:5; Ket. 108b–109a). Insistence on exact payment of the promised dowry, however, was frowned upon by later rabbinic authorities (Rema to Sh. Ar., EH 2:1). In certain communities it was customary for the groom's father to make a dowry contribution equal to that of the bride's father (Ket. 102b). The dowry, whether given in real estate, slaves, money, or chattel was recorded in the marriage contract (the ketubbah) and in some instances one-third or one-fifth of the actual value of the dowry was added to the sum mentioned in the ketubbah. Based upon a decree enacted by *Simeon b. Shetah (first century C.E.), the Talmud ruled that the husband and his entire property were liable for compensation as stipulated in the ketubbah, either in case he died (when she collected the sum specified in the ketubbah from the heirs) or in case he divorced his wife (Ket. 82b). For the status of the dowry and the husband's rights and obligations, see below. The rabbinic enactments (Takkanot Shum) by R. Jacob *Tam and by the rabbinic synod of the communities of Speyer, Worms, and Mainz (Germany) stipulated that if a woman died...

Set of three vintage Zulu long carved wood pipes on custom metal stands, South Africa. Each on separate stand so can be arranged in multiple ways for great ...

Late 19th-Early 20th century tribal terracotta bottle, Djenne Area, Mali A handsome terracotta bottle from the Djenne area of Mali with incised geometric patterns on the globular ...

19th-century bronze currency bangle / Manilla with a fixed opening. Minimalist, simple design work with engraved geometrical circles and lines. This type of bracelet was used and wor...

With a beautiful dark patina, this early 20th century wooden mask shows a naturalistic human face, flattened, with the forehead, open mouth and stylised teeth in light relief; the ri...

Prestige open top basket Sukuma People (?) Tanzania Circa 1900 Coiled and woven basketry, natural fibers and dye 8 x 6 1/2 inches (21 x 16.5 cm) Provenance: ex private collection U...

Mid-20th Century Dance Skirt Panel, Kuba, D.R.Congo A wonderful, almost op-art Kuba dance skirt panel with an appliqued design of four squared spirals. Th...

Fine early 20th Century hand spun indigo cotton and Trans-Sahara silk cloth.

Early finely carved African Afikpo mask with stylized geometric abstract long face. From Nigeria close to the Cross River. From an old collection in the Southwest. Overall dimensi...

Vintage Moroccan mirror, hand painted, wooden Moorish window shaped mirror. Beautiful hand crafted mirror in a traditional hand painted Mooris...

Gelede festivals honor the creative and dangerous power of women elders, female ancestors and goddesses known as "our mothers". The Gelede headdress often consists of two parts, a lo...

Two Pairs of Yoruba Edan Ogboni Figural Brass Staffs, each pair atop a stepped base, together with Segy Gallery documentation. Taller overall: 11.25" H x 5.25" W x 2.25" D. Provenanc...

An incredible and rare mid-20th century Dida hand-plated Shibori tie-dyed raffia ceremonial kerchief mounted on a linen stretched board that floats off the wall in the shape of the k...

A strongly carved mask, likely Baule Tribe, on custom iron display stand. With fine serene features, scarification on the forehead, delicately carved hair and surmounted by two forwa...

Group of 4 Giraffe African Folk Art Rattan Bamboo Straw Hand Painted Animal Sculptures

During their five hundred year history in the Southern Congo, the Basuku tribe developed a series of intricate rituals built around their skilled mask makers. This particular example was most likely carved in the likeness of a deceased chieftain. The artisan intentionally pronounced the eyes, cheeks, and chin to provide a terrifying test for young men as they underwent their rites for manhood. The Basuku's spiritual expressions inspired early 20th century western painters...

A chic modernist early 20th century Dan Peoples stool from Ivory Coast, carved from one piece of wood with a simple hourglass form, and the most wonderful p...

Stone mortar and pestle Nigeria 20th century Measures: Mortar: 21 x 15.5 x 2 in. / 53 x 39 x 5 cm Height on custom display stand: 26...

Handcrafted Moorish Moroccan Bleu de Fez decorative ceramic Bowl, dish. Ceramic bowl in Bleu de Fez, very nice designs hand painted by artist in Fez. Geometrical and floral Moorish ...

Tall hand-carved wooden oracle or divination tapper "Iroke Ifa" statue, showing a kneeling woman holding her breasts. Yoruba, Nigeria, circa 1930s. Yoruba belief specifies that each ...

Moroccan authentic vintage tribal rug handwoven by Berber Moroccan women using organic lamb wo and organic dye.Vintage Berber rug from the Taznakht tribe in south eastern Morocco. Ra...

Gilt metal orb pendant handcrafted by skilled artisans in Morocco, North Africa. Amazing metal Moroccan lantern hand-pierced with thousands of small holes to diffuse the light throug...

An incredible and rare mid-20th century Dida hand-plated Shibori tie-dyed raffia ceremonial kerchief mounted on a linen stretched board. This kerchief was not woven on a loom, but ra...

Vintage Moroccan mirror, hand painted, wooden Moorish window shaped mirror. Beautiful hand crafted mirror in a traditional hand painted Mooris...

Mid-20th century Tuareg tea pot from Mauritania, Africa, Western Sahara. Handcrafted of pewter, copper and brass decorations. The Tuareg people inhabit a large area, covering almost ...

African Tsonga headrest Neck rest South Africa Tribal Art A fine old Tsonga headrest Carved from hard wood with 3 central pillars Period Early 20th century Height: 15 cm Conditio...

Early 20th Century Granary Door Lock, Bamana Peoples, Mali A figurative wood door lock from the Bamana (Bambara) people of Mali. This probably depic...

Beautiful African headrest-stool from Congo, Luba tribe, correct and good patina and shine of the wood,worm color palet, very decorative piece

Pair of Bronze & Iron Ogboni Society staffs from the Yoruba People, Nigeria, early 20th century. Among the Yoruba, in southwestern Nigeria, there was and still is the Ogboni secret s...

20th Century bark cloth painting, Mbuti (Efe) people, Ituri Forest, D. R. Congo A painted barkcloth from the Efe people in the Ituri forest of no...

Genuine Large Green Verdite Shona-style Sculpture of a mother and child. Shona artists are masters of the bust sculpture. This large piece is typical of the Sub-Saharan Shona style. ...

This beautifully carved title stool, from the Gogo culture in Tanzania, features a wonderful looped and adjoining structure. Dating back to the mid-twentieth century, this fine examp...

Cast into a beautiful coiled form, this copper alloy Igbo woman's arm adornment from Nigeria was also used as a form of currency. This 19th century piece has developed a lovely green...

Tribal carved cup with handle with incised and carved design. Possibly from the Abeam People in the Sepik Region of New Guinea, the cup has overall meandering incised design and a s...

Striking in form, of light highly textured wood, two highly stylized anthropomorphic figures carved by the Moba people in Togo, West Africa. These forms most probably we owned by a f...

This beautifully preserved fragment of a wall painting is executed on plaster with an ochre and blue ground, depicting an agricultural scene with a man in profile to the right. He w...

Handcrafted Moroccan Moorish glass perfume bottle or rose water sprinkler with raised embossed silvered metal floral design over amber glass. The pressed glass bottle in Art Deco, Art Nouveau style is oval shape with curved sides and hand decorated with embossed metal silvered overlay. This has a long metal top spout that unscrews so the bottle can be filled to pour the perfume or rose water into this little luxe bottle. This is a recycled vintage French perfume bottle Reve D'Or and mark in the bottom by "L T Piver Paris". Handcrafted in Marrakech, Morocco by skilled artisans that used recycle perfume bottle and add the metal overlay...

This hand-carved wooden stool was made in Tanzania by hand with native repair. The patch was added from hand-hammered brass. This piece has great energy and patina, giving it a cool ...

Grouping of Ceremonial coffee stands Ethiopia Early 20th century Wood Largest: 8" high x 6" diameter (20 x 15 cm) Smallest: 6.75" x 3.50" ( 17 x 9 cm) These little known Branc...

A rather unusual Berber rug from the Ait Sgogou tribe, located in the Moroccan Middle Atlas, distinguished by a rich red open field embellished at both ends by contorting horizontal ...

Yoruba people have one of the highest incidents of twin births in the world. As a result, twin children are regarded as extraordinary, divine beings protected by Sango, the deity of ...

The Beni Ouarain confederation is composed of seventeen tribes inhabiting the high mountain region of the northeastern Middle Atlas. Their rugs differ from other Berber weavings in t...

:: Antique handmade African Neolithic era marble bracelet. These marble bracelets were hand carved in North Africa and likely used for currency. This piece is a unique collectible, w...

African Tribal Art parchment wall shade sconce featuring a large triangle hide form stitched on iron and hand painted surface. These Moroccan Art pieces could be used as wall lamp s...

Great decorative Moroccan Berber Tuareg metal brass powder flask. African decorative brass with front richly decorated with Moorish embossed brass ocverlay. Moroccan tribal powder fl...

Light masks like these represented the spirit of an ancestor and were used for social control by Ngil, the judiciary association. The facial markings, abstract features and strong, e...

The most important event in the Yaka ceremonial cycle is the initiation of young boys into adulthood. To mark the end of the educational period, festivities are held in which the ini...

So as not to muss their intricate hairstyles while sleeping, Ethiopian women would traditionally rest their heads on these petite wooden stands. The combination of conic base and con...

Terracotta Tikar Figurine - Maison Dieu - Cameroon primitive art - tribal art - Africa Measures : 15.5cmx9cm H:26.5cm Material : Terracotta Wear consistent with age and use.

Very important “Nwantamtay” dance African mask, consisting of three sections: The upper in plain rectangular shape surmounted by a crescent shape moon, the middle with beautiful geometric triangles in black bitumen and white kaolin, surrounding a red cruciform in the centre of remarkable contrasting colors, and the lower part or face inscribed in a circular space that inspired numbered great artists like Joan Miro, Picasso and Henry Moore of a very strongly solar symbolism, with a projecting protuberance emanating from the forehead like a sculpted bird beak, that descents toward the mouth. Concentric eyes harmonize with the circular mouth, both with of elegant proportions. The whole mask exudes a supreme harmony and perfect balance rarely seen in this pieces. The back-side presents nice ware that attested the ancient origin and traces of animistic ceremonies as the use of animal blood residues. The painting of brown bitumen or cola, the natural colorants in red and ocher tones and the white kaolin are original and do not show any repainted or restored areas, giving a freshness rarely seen in old pieces. This exceptional mask Bwa, of the Hound`e Region in Burkina-Fasso, was used it the transit ceremonies and funerals manifesting the presence of “Do”, name given to their God sons, protectors and powerful spirits. The round face also represents an owl, the curving beak of the bird plants a seed into the sun, like a female sexual vulva being fecundated by the male organ; the eternal symbol of Ying and Yang, masculine and feminine, and the quest of life and death. This mask of Primitive facture can be compared to the one in the celebrated Verite Collection (this one being larger) sold in Paris at the Hotel Drouot, Saturday June 17, Lot 59, for 80,000 Euros and remarkably stands out from the Pierre and Tannia Matisse sold in Sotheby’s, New York in May 13, 2011. Another similar piece was published in: “Arman et l’art africain...

A Guere wood mask with paint and fiber remnant from We people displayed on a metal stand. The We people (also known as the Krahn or Guere) are an indigenous African people that inhabit areas in nowadays eastern Liberia and western Côte d'Ivoire. Their material culture shares many aspects with the neighboring Dan tribe. Like the Dans, the We use a wide variety of masquerades, which hold important regulatory position within their small, egalitarian communities. Masks are owned by families and used by individual lineage members in contexts of social control, ritual ceremony and entertainment. This type of Guere mask, however, has a distinct fearsome character. The ferocious design with jagged facial expression, bulging tubular eyes are intended for use in mediations between community members, as visual aids during moral lessons, as well as forms of entertainment. By portraying the more frightening nature of the animal, the mask is viewed as powerful and may have been used as part of social control methods prior to the introduction of Western law systems during the colonial period. The mask on offer, based on our examination, appears to be an original one that was used natively instead of reproduction made for the tourist market. The surface presents apparently genuine patina consistent with use. The red paint that highlights the eyes and gapping mouth also appear original. There are small losses flanking the nose ridge by the eyes, extensive surface accretion, remain of some fiber tassels. The back of the mask reveals chisel marks from hand tools and importantly, stain marks that were likely from repetitive contacts from the nose of the wearer. The mask is 9" in height, and it retains an old Sotheby’s catalog...

The painting captures the events of this battle: "Baratieri planned to execute an attack early morning 1st March Baratieri, to strike a surprise on the ethiopians, who outnumbered h...

African Salampasu Helmet Mask, carved wood, copper, and raffia, together with metal stand. Mask: 25" H x 10.75" W x 9" D. Provenance: From a Sutton Place Estate.

Single African mask created by artist Bomber Bax. The mask dates back to the early 1900s and was subsequently processed and painted in late 2022 by the artist. The artist used spec...

An early 20th century antique African tribal leg band (ankle bracelet), These leg bands were both currency and status symbols for the Mongo tribe of northwest Congo. They were ma...

Handcrafted Moorish Moroccan polychrome decorative ceramic Bowl, dish from Fez. Bleu de Fez, very nice designs hand painted by artist in Fez. Geometrical and floral Moorish design...

Vintage Tribal Moroccan Berber rug, different hues of browns, plum and rust natural organic wo.This carpet is a gorgeous piece of Abstract Modernist Art...

This fine Mende ‘Sowei’ mask was worn exclusively by women. The mask represents an ideal of feminine beauty admired by the Mende: elaborate hairstyles, full forehead, small facial fe...

African Dongon Tribal mask. Mali.

Yoruba people have one of the highest incidents of twin births in the world. As a result, twin children are regarded as extraordinary, divine beings protected by Sango, the deity of ...