- 176
A Budja or Ngbaka Dance Crest, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Estimate
12,000 - 18,000 USD
bidding is closed
Description
Provenance
Allen Davis, Alexandria
Condition
Fair condition overall; beak of bird broken and reattached in front of eye; several red seeds on eyes missing on both sides; cloth base of head crest partially detached; nicks and chips; light orange brown patina.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Dance crests like the offered lot are highly abstract representations of a mythical animal, possibly a bird. Headcrests with identical iconography are found among two ethnically unrelated peoples living some 200 miles apart in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Budja and the Ngbaka. Cf. Felix (1987: 19, fig. 1) and Grootaers (2007: 58, figs. 1.64 and 1.65). The cultural and ethnic interrelations of both peoples are still subject to research.