Lot 136
  • 136

Songye Power Figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 USD
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Description

  • metal, wood, nile monitor, chicken feathers
  • Height: 6 1/2 in (16.5 cm)
with a fragmentary feather skirt, probably of Domestic Chicken (Gallus gallus) feathers, and a small patch of Nile Water Monitor (Varanus albigularus) skin.

Provenance

Presumably collected in situ by Georges Van Halle between 1940-1945
Georges Van Halle, Luxembourg
Merton D. Simpson, New York
Allan Stone, New York

Exhibited

Allan Stone Gallery, New York, Fetishism, March 2 - May 8, 1992

Literature

François Neyt, Songye : la redoutable statuaire songye d'Afrique centrale, Brussels, 2004, p. 150, pl. 115 (measurement incorrect)
François Neyt, Songye: the Formidable Statuary of Central Africa, New York, 2009, p. 150, pl. 115 (measurement incorrect)

Condition

Good condition for an object of this age and rare type. Some tacks missing on reverse. Losses to feather skirt as seen in catalogue illustration. Some insect damage on lower part of the figure. Cavity to the proper right side of the umbilicus. Vertical age cracks including an eroded age crack down the spine. Marks, nicks, scratches, abrasions, chipping and wear. Fine dark brown patina to wood, the tacks aged and oxidized with verdigris. A square sleeve inserted underneath for attachment to modern base.
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.