Description:

West Africa, Ivory Coast, Baule people, ca. early 20th century CE. A hand carved wood heddle pulley in the form of a human head with a concave face and a high, meticulously incised coiffure typical of the Baule aesthetic. The face, neck, and torso are decorated with elaborate scarification along the forehead, neck, cheeks, and across the chest. An exceptional, well-carved example in classic Baule style. Cloth is woven in West Africa by men using a distinctive type of loom. Heddle pulleys are necessary to keep the warp threads separated and allow the shuttle to move back and forth. In many cultures, the pulleys are heavily decorated using geometric patterns, masks, and human head finials as we see in this example. Size: 2.3" L x 3" W x 7.5" H (5.8 cm x 7.6 cm x 19 cm); 8.75" H (22.2 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private Chicago, Illinois, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#174450

  • Condition: Surface hairline to back of coiffure. Otherwise intact and excellent. Lustrous patina!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

September 29, 2022 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 26.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000