Sapi Stone Figure (Nomoli), Sierra Leone

nomoli.

Georges Rodrigues, New York
Hope and Todd Makler, Philadelphia, acquired from the above in the early 1970s
Sotheby's New York, November 18, 1997, lot 93
Rudolph Leopold, Vienna

Good condition for an object of this type and age. Shallow surface chipping throughout. Chips include: to proper right eye, proper left brow, nosrtil, edge of lip, and hand. Scratches, nicks, marks, scuffs, and abrasions throughout. Aperture in top of head. Chip to proper left side of base near upper leg.
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.

Stone carving such as the offered lot, called nomoli, have been found in the soil of southeastern Sierra Leone as well as in adjacent portions of Liberia. They are believed to be of great age. Likely they were made by populations ancestral to the Sherbro and date from a period well before the arrival of Europeans in 1463.

Nomoli figures of the size of the Leopold figure are rare. One, 25 cm high, entered the collection of Jacop Epstein before 1960 (Fagg 1960: cat. 137, and Sotheby's New York, November 17, 2006, lot 256). A second, only head and arms 18.4 cm high, is in the collection of the British Museum (Allison 1968: cat. 68).