Lot
2, Two Diquis stone animals, Period VI, circa A. D. 1000-1500, 15 1/2
and 18 1/4 inches long
Lot
2 consists of two sensational Diquis stone animals from Period VI circa
A.D. 1000-1500. One is 15 1/2 inches long and the other is 18
1/4
inches long. The catalogue nots that these "effigy figures
from the
Diquis region show the influence of the large stone culpture from
Colombia's San Agustin region" and that "the N-shaped crossed fangs are
a characteristic of the monumental, rounded figures." The
figures
are mavelously stylized, especially the way the large legs are carved
and come to together beneath the figures' bodies. The lot has
a
very modest estimate of $12,000 to $15,000. It sold for $12,500.
Lot
68, Dogon altar of a janus-headed dog, Mili, circa 15th - 18th
Century, 16
3/4 inches long
Lot
68 is a Dogon altar of a Janus-headed dog from Mali, circa 15th - 18th
Century. It is 16 3/4 inches long.
The catalogue notes that dogs commemorate an important event
in
Dogon history as when the migrant peoples arrived at the edge of the
Bandiagara cliff they encountered the Tellem who concealed wells and
water holds but the Dogon saw a dog running from the cliff with wet
paws and they able to conquer. Large dog-shaped Dogon altars
in
the shape of dogs are rare. There is one in the Musée Dapper
in
Paris and one at the Metropolitan Museum of Art but there were both
sculpted with only one head and an empty receptable in the center of
the back while this one has its "magic bundle still in place in the
center of the back." The lot has a modest estimate of $70,000
to
$100,000. It
sold for $185,000.
Lot 168, Lega
ivory figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo, hippopotamus
tooth, 6 3/8 inches high
Lot
168 is a fabulous Lega figure made of hippopotamus tooth from the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is 6 3/8 inches high
andwas
collected in situ in 1937 by Jeno and Rosa Studer-Koch. It
has a
modest estimate of $60,000 to $90,000. It sold for $197,000.
Lot
17, Colima Pre-classic dancer with removable headdress, Late
Preclassic,
circa 300-100 B.C., 15 inches (with headdress), 11 1/2 inches (without
headdress)
Lot
17 is a very great Colima preclassic dancer with a removable headdress,
Late Pre-classic, circa 300-100 B.C. The headress has the
very
dramatic face of an alligator baring its large teetch and a a tall,
sweeping crest of plumes. The height of the figure with the
headdress is 15 inches and without it only 11 1/2 inches. The
figure wears a cap with a chinstrp[ and carries long and "weighty"
rattles, "held through a mitt around each hand." The lot has
an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. It sold for $59,375.
Lot 45,
Mimika Ancestor statue, Irian Jaya, 27 1/8 inches high
One
of the auction's major pieces is Lot 45, a Mimika ancestor statue from
the central southern coast of Western New Guinea (Irian Jaya).
It
is 27 1/8 inches high. The catalogue notes that "a closely
related Mimika statue in the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde in Leiden was
collected prior to 1913 and has been interpreted as representation of a
pregnant woman. The lot has an estimate of $60,000 to
$90,000.
It sold for
$75,000.
Lot 104, Ijaw
Ikwerre headdress, Nigeria, 23 1/2 inches high
The
most striking item in the auction is Lot 104, an Ijaw Ikwerre headdress
from Nigeria that is 23 1/2 inches high. It has an estimate
of
$25,000 to $35,000. It
failed to sell.
Lot 83,
Bamana or Northern Senufo Ntomo Mask, Mali, 14 3/4 inches high
Lot
83 is a striking Bamana or Northern Senufo Ntomo Mask from Mali that is
14 3/4 inches high. It has an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000.
It sold for
$15,000.
Lot 101,
Double Figure Post, Ishan, Nigeria
Lot
101 is a tall double-figure post from Ishan, Nigeria. It has
an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000. It sold for $25,000.
Lot 42,
Mythical heroine (Telum), Astrolabe Bay, Madang Province, Papua New
Guinea, 38 1/2 inches high
Lot
42 is a wooden statue of a mythical heroine (Telum) from Astrolabe Bay
in Madang Province in Papua, New Guinea. It is the cover
illustration of the catalogue. It is 38 1/2 inches high
and was collected in the village of Bogadijim by Hugo Zoller in 1889.
The catalogue notes that "featuring a highly expressive
archaic-cubist style, Astrolabe Bay telum figures appear to be of great
age and were probably created by a northern New Guinea
proto-culture that influenced both Sepik Riber and Huon Gulf
cultural regions." It has an estimate of $600,000 to
$900,000. It
sold for $755,000.
Lot 118,
Mambila female ancestor figure, Cameroon, 19 inches
Lot
188 is a Mambila female ancestor figure from Cameroon. It is
19
inches high and was once in the Harry A. Franklin Family Collection of
African Art. It has been widely exhibited. It has
an
estimate of $400,000 to $600,000. It
sold for $485,000.
Lot 40, Elema
Bioma spirit figure, Era River Region, Papua New Guinea, 59 inches high
Lot
40 is an excellent Elema Bioma spirit figure from the Era River Region
in Papua New Guinea. It is 59 inches high and is from the
Balene
McCormick Collection. It is an estimate of $25,000 to
$35,000.
It sold for
$31,250.
Lot 58,
"Babanki Elephant Mask, Western Grasslands, Cameroon, 48 1/2 inches high
Lot
58 is a very beautiful and extremely graceful Babanki elephant mask
from the Western Grasslands, Cameroon. It is 48 1/2 inches
high
and is from the Robbins Center for Cross Cultural
Communicatons in
Washington, D.C. It has been widely published and exhibited.
It has a modest estimateof $60,000 to $90,000. It sold for $173,000.
Lot 60,
Mumuye statue, Nigeria 29 1/8 inches high
Lot
60 is a Mumuye statue from Nigeria that is 29 1/8 inches high.
It
wa once in the collection of Paul and Ruth Tishman and is property of
the Robbins Center for Cross Cultural Communication in Washington, D.C.
It has an estimate of $25,000 to $35,000. It has been widely
exhibited. It sold for
$22,500.
Lot 135, Teke
male power figure, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 14 3/4 inches high
Lot
135 is a Teke male power figure from the Democratic Republic of the
Congo. It is 14 3/4 inches high. It has an estimate
of $20,000 to $30,000.
It sold for $25,000.
Lot
49, Malagan Tatanua Mask, New Ireland, 17 3/4 inches high
Lot
49 is an impressive Malagan Tantanua mask from New Ireland.
It is
17 3/4 inches high. It was collected by Franz Hefele, first
officer of the Hamburg-America Line in October, 1900. It was
in
the collection of the Linden-Museum in Stuggart and late John J.
Klejman of New York It has an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000. It sold for $21,250.
Lot 121,
Sherbro Helmet mask, Moyamba District, Sierra Leone, 17 1/2 inches high
Lot
121 is an impressive Sherbro Helmet mask from the Moyamba District in
Sierra Leone. It is 17 1/2 inches high. It has an estimate of
$6,000 to $9,000. It
sold for $40,625.
Lot 96, Baule
Bushcow Mask, Ivory Coast, 35 1/2 inches high
Lot
96 is a striking Baule Bushcow mask from the Ivory Coast. It
is
35 1/2 inches high. It has an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000.
It failed to
sell.
Lot 71,
Mande, Maninke or Bamana hunter's shirt, Mali, 37 inches long
Lot
71 is an interesting hunter's shirt from Maninke or Bamana in Mali.
It has attachments and is 37 inches long. It has an
estimate of $20,000 to $30,000. It
failed to sell.
Lot 15,
"Large Chupicuaro Standing-Female Figure, Late Pre-classic, circa
300-100 B.C., 21 inches high
Lot
15 is an imposing Chupicuaro standing figure of a female, Late
Pre-Classic, circa 300-100 B.C. It is 21 inches high.
It is
from the Mihoacan, Guanajuato region and is one of the earliest large
figural ceramics with complex polychrome designs of a highly consistent
iconographic style. It hs an estimate of
$80,000 to
$120,000. It
sold for $185,000.
Lot 25,
Nayarit joined couple, Ixtain del Rio style, Protoclassic, 16 inches
high, circa 100 B.C.-A.D. 250
Lot
25 is a very good Nayarit joined couple, Ixtan del Rio style,
Proclassic, circa 100 B.C.-A.D. 250. It is 16 inches high.
It has an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000. It failed to sell.
Lot
24, Nayarit seated couple, Ixtlan del Rio Style, Protoclassic, circa
100 B.C.-A.D. 250, 15 inches high
Lot
24 is a fine Nayarit seated couple in the Ixtlan de Rio style,
Protoclassic, cireca 100 B.C.-250 A.D. The figures are each
about
15 inhes high. The lot has an estimate of $30,000 to $40,000.
It sold for
$34,375.
Lot 134, Punu
Drum, Gabon,13 3/4 inches high
Lot
134 is a Punu Drum decorated with several finely carved heads from
Gabon. It is 13 3/4 inches high and has been published and
exhibited. It has an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000. It sold for $50,000.
Lot 137,
Zande status knife, Democratic Republic of the Congo, left,
15 7/8 inches
Lot
137 is a nice Zande status knife from the Democratic Republic of the
Congo. It is 15 7/8 inches long. It has an estimate
of
$7,000 to $10,000. It
sold for $17,500.
