Ancestor' Mangbetu figure box, originating from the Mangbetu peoples of Central Africa living to the south of the Zande in northeastern Congo (Kinshasa). They are believed to be ancestral portraits of Mangbetu royalties, and were used to decorate thrones, and likely placed in a shrine to honor them.

Made of 100% light wood, fiber Patin.

Model is W 40 - H 19 and weight 3 kg.

This fantastic Chamba statue, is not very common and has an exceptional aesthetic presence and compelling abstract design. It was thought to have either a protective or healing function for the Wurkun or Bikwin peoples of the Benue River Valley.

Made of 100% carved wood and camwood powder.

Model is W 60 – H 14 and weight 3 kg.

This rare and beautiful 19th–early-20th century Yombe Phemba (Maternity) Figure, originates from the Kongo peoples, Yombe group - Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is called Nkisi (means holy). The figures were used to ward off danger to mothers during delivery and to protect the health of the child.

Made of 100% Wood, kaolin.

Model is W 16 - H 75 and weight 5.2 kg.

This ancestral Mangbetu statue is an exceptional piece from the Mangbetu also spelled Monbuttu, peoples of Central Africa living to the south of the Zande in northeastern Congo (Kinshasa). The Anthropomorphic figure dates from 1950 - 1960.

Made of 100% light wood, fiber Patin.

Model is W 72 - H 231 and weight 5.5 kg.

This old-carved mask of light-coloured wood, originates from the Dogon people of Mali. Satimbe masks are surmounted by a female figure which represents the elder sister of the mask. It's a ceremony mask used during the annual harvest festival (called Bulu), celebrated in all the villages before the rainy season.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 28 – H 19 and weight 3 kg.

This ceramic depiction of an ancestral elder was made by the Nok people of Nigeria, at the very start of the first millennium AD. This piece is a classic of the Nok culture. Little is known of the original function of the pieces, but theories include ancestor portrayal, grave markers, and charms to prevent crop failure, infertility, and illness. Also, based on the dome-shaped bases found on several figures, they could have been used as finials for the roofs of ancient structures.

Made of 100% terracotta.

Model is W 48 – H 15 and weight 1.2 kg.

This example of Dogon art is over 35 years old. Dogon art is extremely versatile, although common stylistic characteristics – such as a tendency towards stylization – are apparent on the statues. Their art deals with the myths whose complex ensemble regulates the life of the individual. Their masks are preserved in innumerable sites of worship, personal or family altars, altars for rain, altars to protect hunters, in market.

Made of 100% wood

Model is W 28 - H 18 and weight 3 kg.

This hand carved headrest reminiscent of a turtle originates from the Dogon people in Mali. The heavy honey-colored wood has a beautiful grain, the larger handle or extremity is richly patinated from having been carried around by its owner. The flat and slightly curved portion of the headrest also has a warm patina from usage. Dogon headrests are rare, replicating the larger stools in style and form, retaining all of the elegance and the aesthetics of larger pieces. Headrests like stools are considered to be objects of prestige, denoting social status and hierarchy in African societies.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 12 - H 29 and weight 0.4 kg.

This handmade comb originates from the Songye of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The combs were used by both men and women in elaborate and distinctive coiffures and a source of social status. Hair combs were considered a luxury and many become treasured items that were passed down through the generations.

Made of 100% Wood.

Model is W 21 - H 8 and weight 0.2 kg

This mask from the Fang tribe is an abstract anthropomorphic carving. They were meant to protect. Symbolic representations of ancestors, these comparatively rare heads hold a special place in the corpus of Fang statuary.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 33 - H 23 and weight 2.8 kg.

This great Mumuye figure, carved with crescentic coiffure, an helmet like shaped head, large circular eyes and disc-like ears has a characteristical toroidal shape and the unmistakable stylistic sign of this Mumuye ethnic group.

Made of 100% Wood.

Model is W 70 - H 11 and weight 2 kg.

This  Ancestral Male Figure originates from the Dogon. A man sitting on a stool, with a very erect and dignified posture, holds in his hands some kind of tool. He wears a pectoral necklace. He seems to a village leader.

Made of 100% wood, pigments.

Model is W 73 - H 18 and weight 7.3 kg.

This zoomorphic Senufo reliquary figure, with its elongated cylindrical trunk is characteristic of the style of the Fang Ntumu subgroup of northern Gabon near the Cameroon border. The appearance of Fang reliquary figures varies greatly from region to region. In general, the artists who created these figures apparently were interested in depicting the ancestors through individualized features, such as hairstyle and adornment.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 42 - H 6 and weight 0.4 kg.

This rare articulated Anthropomorphic Iginga doll made of wood originates from the Lega/Bwami peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Figures such as this were used as a didactic device during the ritual of the Bwami Society to educate young initiates. Their metaphoric form help instructors to pass the message as do the proverbs, legends, myths and slogans.

Made of 100% wood, vegetable fibers.

Model is W 60 - H 24 and weight 5.5 kg.

This Magnificient Bamana ChiWara carving originates from the Bambara tribe in Mali.  The patina is rich and the surface shows significant signs of age.  The mythology of the Bamana people of Mali tells the story of an antelope named Chi Wara who first taught farming skills to humanity.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 22 - H 68 and weight 8 kg.

This unique clay small sculptures of a couple was sculpted by creative and skillful artisan of the Djenne tribe in the West African Republic of Mali. The art of the inner delta of the Niger, the region formed by the triangle of the cities of Mopti, Ke Macina, and Djenne, bears witness to an astonishing richness of invention and a lively concern with detail.

Made of 100% Terracotta

Model is W 38 – H 7 and weight 0.8 kg.

This type of circular pendant representing a sun refers to an ancient and complex passage of the Dogon cosmogony, at a time when light was given to men through 10 suns. It is is relatively rare in western collections. The sun symbol identification that is sometimes made seems to be foreign rather than a Dogon interpretation. 

Made of 100% Brass / Bronze

Model is W 7 – H 2 and weight 0.12 kg.

This mask carving originates from the Fang tribe. They were meant to protect. They are often of great aesthetic quality, which suggests that they are the culmination of a long sculptural tradition. Symbolic representations of ancestors, these comparatively rare heads hold a special place in the corpus of Fang statuary.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 38 - H 14 and weight  0.6kg.

This Dogon Nommo figure has been rendered in a simplified way, reducing it to its essential. It is elongated with emphasis on geometric forms. This is extremely versatile, although common stylistic characteristics – such as a tendency towards stylization – are apparent on the statues. The subjective impression is one of immobility with a mysterious sense of a solemn gravity and serene majesty, although conveying at the same time a latent movement. Their art deals with the myths whose complex ensemble regulates the life of the individual. The sculptures are preserved in innumerable sites of worship, personal or family altars, altars for rain, altars to protect hunters, in market. Thick patina made of blood and millet beer.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 37 - H 10 and weight 0.5 kg.

This unique figure is the prime example art Mambila, easily identifiable with their heart-shaped faces. The Tadep statues in the Mambila were used for therapeutic purposes. 

Made of 100%  wood, pigments

Model is W 34 - H 18 and weight 0.5 kg.

This zoomorphic deer mask is called ‘Gomintogo’. It originates from the Dogon people of Eastern Mali, and represent one of the 80 masks types of the tribe. The first mask was said to be originally carved by a farmer who killed the deer because it had devastated his fields. The farmer built an altar to shelter the spirit of the deer and prevent it to wanders and take revenge on the living people.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 24 – H 15 and weight 2.1 kg

This figure represents a female kneeling figure holding a bowl, known as Olumeye. Her facial features are very expressive and are carved with naturalistic detailing such as large scarification on cheeks and forehead. The finial hairstyle called known as irun agogo, adds to the figure's beauty. The patina is shiny and smooth. This figure, a recent bride or a priestess, depicts an homage to maternity or motherhood and was used as a shrine to deities Shango or Eshu in the Yoruba religion. The piece has a shine and rich patina. The Olumeye are carved most often in the shape of a rooster and placed in front of a female figure who is shown kneeling in a position of submission and offering. The bowl was used to serve cola nuts to elite guests.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 66 – H 14 and weight 3.8 kg.

This beautiful Punu mask from Gabon is called ‘Okuyi’ or ‘Mukudji. It was worn during acrobatic dances by men on stilts.

Made of 100% wood, kaolin, pigments.

Model is W 33 - H 25 and weight 1.6 kg.

This is a fabulous Old Makonde "Lipiko" Helmet Mask from Southern Tanzania and Northeast Mozambique. The Lipico helmet masks are worn on the top of the head and cover only part of the face. The helmet is worn tipped upward on the head so the dancer can see. The masks sometimes represent ancestral spirits, sometimes animals. The lipiko masks, which in the language of the Makonde people means “helmet mask.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 30 – H 32 and weight 1 kg.

This kneeling maternity figure originates from the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. This figure depict represents a queen mother as she would sit in state on formal occasions. The kneeling position is a gesture of respect, devotion, and submission. Thus the figure represented in the carving is probably a petitioner rather than a deity. The sculpture may have been a votive offering from a woman who had successfully petitioned for a child. Such royal maternity figures were kept with the venerated seats of ancestral chiefs in special rooms, or they were housed in the shrines of powerful deities that were particularly concerned with the well-being of a royal person, perhaps a queen mother.

Made of 100% wood.

Model is W 66 - H 14 and weight 3.8 kg.

The present Anthropomorphic figure, known as Bamana (Jonyeleni), female seated figure on a stylized stool, originates from the artistic tradition of the Bamana. A tradition rich, filled with pottery, sculptures, beautiful bokolanfini cloth, and wrought iron figures fashioned by blacksmiths.

Made of 100% wood, dark patina.

Model is W 69 - H 1 and weight 4.5 kg.