- 172
Bembe Janus Headed Charm, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Estimate
6,000 - 9,000 USD
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Description
- wood
- Height: 3 1/4 in (8.3 cm)
Provenance
Josef Herman, Suffolk
Christie's Amsterdam, The Josef Herman Collection of African Art, December 12, 2000, lot 235
Pierre Dartevelle, Brussels, acquired at the above auction
Martin Lerner, New York, acquired from the above
Christie's Amsterdam, The Josef Herman Collection of African Art, December 12, 2000, lot 235
Pierre Dartevelle, Brussels, acquired at the above auction
Martin Lerner, New York, acquired from the above
Literature
No author, "Small things, great passions", Art Tribal, No. 8, Spring/Summer 2005, p. 98
Condition
Very good condition for an object of this age and type. Original piercing for hanging between janus faces. Small marks, nicks, scratches, and abrasions consistent with age and use. Age cracks on either side between two janus faces. Grass skirt dry but very well-preserved, with minor losses. Vertical age crack in underside running up to chin of one face. Exceptionally fine dark brown aged patina with crusty remnants of red and white pigment. Drilled underneath for base post.
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
For a closely related charm in the Musée Royal de l'Afrique Central, Tervuren (inv. no. "R.G. 55.3.156") see Biebuyck (1981: 140), "collected by D. Biebuyck among the Basimnyaka (Lulenge sector) in southwestern Bembeland. The owner was a member of the highest grade (biciba) in the Bembe variant of the bwami association. The owner's father, also a bicaba, first acquired the figurine from one of the Basikasingo. The sculpture called 'ase'a was used in the nguwe rites of the bwami association, not as an ancestral representation, but as an initiation object that conveyed the far reaching wisdom and keen sense of equity of the high initiate."