The Saul and Marsha Stanoff Collection

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Lot 21
  • 21

A Rare Bassa Divination Implement, Liberia

Estimate
15,000 - 25,000 USD
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Description

rising from a circular base, the human torso holding an object in front of its chest, with multiple metal pegs inserted in the head; aged varied brown patina with traces of light pigment.

Provenance

André Schoeller, Paris
Alain de Monbrison, Paris

Literature

Jacques Kerchache, Jean-Louis Paudrat, and Lucien Stéphan, Art of Africa, 1993, p. 381, fig. 355

Catalogue Note

The functional context of this rare sculpture from the northern Bassa is not known. William Siegmann (personal correspondance March 11, 2007) points out that the insertion of metal pegs hints to the context of divination or other ritual use and suggests that the object might be comparable to the figurative divination implements - kedie - used by the neighbouring Dan.