Kissi Power Figure (piomdo), Liberia

Collected in situ in the 1960s by Mario Meneghini
Mario Meneghini, Monrovia and Comabio
Michael Oliver, New York, acquired from the above
Ira Janow, New York, acquired from the above
By descent from the above
Michael Oliver, New York, acquired from the above 
Myron Kunin, Minneapolis, acquired from the above on September 7, 2012

Good condition for an object of this age and rare type. Age crack extending from top of crest through back proper left side of the head. Marks, nicks, scratches, abrasions, and flaking surface. Fabric attachment restitched for stabilization. Metal elements with dents and oxidation. Fine glossy dark reddish brown patina with encrustation.
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 parts of Sierra Leone and Liberia, small stone figures known as pomtan (sing. pomdo) have been discovered buried in the ground by local Kissi and Mende populations. Little is known about the creators of these carvings, which are interpreted by their discoverers to have magical properties. According to Tagliaferri and Hammacher (1974: 12), "The Kissi claim that the carvings represent their forefathers and call the type of stones they find pomdo (or pyomdo, in western regions), that is, 'the dead'.  According to  the Kissi the discovery of a pomdo (pl. pomtan) shows that an ancestor is communicating with his descendants: the identity of the ancestor is established by divination and then the stone carving is placed in the descendants' shrine and used for oath-taking and divination ceremonies.  In a well-known study on the Kissi, Denise Paulme explained how, after the death of a village chief or of a prominent figure, a pomdo is dug up either in a rice-field or near a tree planted by the deceased [Paulme 1956: 146].  The pomdo is often wound in cotton bands and threads and kept out of sight in a bowl, together with amulets and magic substances such as oils, dyes, etc."

They continue (ibid.): "Occasionally the stone is concealed inside a wooden sculpture [like the present figure] specially devised to protect it, which consists of a roughly-hewn trunk with a carved-out niche for the pomdo itself, surmounted by a head and draped in an ample poncho-like dress.  In fact, although the view is widely held that the Kissi are not traditionally sculptors in wood, wooden figures - some of excellent craftsmanship - have been carved by them, and the wooden protector referred to above is an example."