A fine Southeast African double-figure staff

the slender shaft supporting the finial with an elliptical base, the openwork composition with two opposing male torsos each of similar form with stylized features including a pointed beard, straight mouth, naturalistic nose and outlined eyes framed by C-shaped ears and wearing ringed coiffures, the whole surmounted by a baboon of compressed, arching form, the long face with distinctive incised eyes, slit eyes; '263A X' on the base; fine reddish brown patina with areas of pokerwork.

See Sotheby's New York, November 11, 2004, lot 130 for a Southeast African finial almost certainly by the same hand.

As discussed by Klopper (see the footnote of the aforementioned sales catalogue), the Brill staff and others of this particular style, once referred to as the 'Baboon Master', appear to have been created by Natal-based carvers. 'The iconography of these staffs includes the depiction of baboons mounted on the heads of men whose status and authority is signalled through their beards and head-rings... . In some cases, works from this tradition also show men riding baboons. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to asses with any kind of certainty why high-ranking officials were associated with baboons... . Since other works of this tradition have comparatively coarse features [, and others more refined], it seems likely that they were made by a number of different carvers, possibly working in a single studio.'