African Folk Art

Superb Large Antique Maasai Shield – East Africa Origin: Kenya/Tanzania, East Africa Culture: Maasai Period: early 20th century Material: Hide, natural pigments, and wood Dimensio...

Decorative and exceptionally large Burchell's zebra skin (Equus quagga burchellii). The skin displays the species' distinctive striped pattern in warm dark brown and cream tones, ma...

African Tribal Fine Large Somalian Gashan Shield Fine old hide shield with hammered etched geometric design on front and back A Historic collectable and great Interior design ele...

Hand carved ebony hardwood bust of a young Benin warrior Traditionally carved Benin artistry Circa 1970 Height 10.75 inch, Width 5.5 inch, Depth 2.75 inc...

A finely cast ancient Egyptian bronze cat head crowned with a scarab. The triangular face, elegantly modelled with tapering muzzle, incised whisker...

Wood three legged chair with openwork geometric back, from the Gurage or Oromo people, Ethiopia, Vintage Africa Carved of a single piece of wood, this was a chair for an important p...

This beautiful sculpture by an unknown artist, depicting a Ndebele. Despite of occasionally mistakenly attributed to Carl Hagenauer is it undoubtedly a masterpiece. In earlier times,...

Named the ‘Bowl of the Traitor’ by German Egyptologist Hermann Schlögl, this finely inscribed fragment from a ritual vessel is believed to have belonged to Udjahorresnet, one of the ...

Intriguing good looking mask artistically made of combination of hand crafted beads ,shells , and hand painted wood. To make such a exceptional object of art for display. Custom-mad...

Kuba (Bushong) Raffia Fiber Textile Panel From Woman’s Skirt The Bushong people are one of the largest and most dominant ethnic groups within the Kuba Kingdom in the DR Congo, and h...

Carved wood large female Songye Kifwebe mask with classic white lines, blackened ridge down crest of forehead, nose and mouth. Worn holes around back edge of mask from attachment of...

This beautifully preserved fragment is boldly sculpted in raised relief on a coarse grained sandstone. It features a portion of two columns of hieroglyphs which enumerate a hymn or...

A wonderful hand carved wood Kifwebe mask created by the Songye and Luba peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kifwebe mask are used by the Bwadi Bwa Kifwebe secret socie...

A finely modeled and beautifully proportioned example, this large Ushabti figure is a masterpiece of the type. As per the custom, he is depicted mummiform, wearing a striated tripar...

Geometric Barmbara Sukuru Animal Mask with horns, teeth, from Mali, West Africa. Inserted wood teeth, abstract face with open eyes, with raised eyebrows and framed face. Old native...

The African wood female bust figurative sculpture of a Mandinka woman is a striking piece of art that encapsulates the cultural heritage and craftsmanship of West Africa. Hand-carved...

Possibly Babanki. Circular ceremonial wood stool constructed of repeated animal heads. Original applied patina.

Matching rare pair of male twin figures "Ibeji" from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Africa, created in the early 20th century. remains of Reckitts blue (laundry bleach) bluing in hai...

A Pair of Inkangara Prestige Baskets Rwanda or Burundi, Tutsi and Hutu peoples 20th century (1960s/1970s) Left H 13 ins (33 cm); D 7 ins (17.5 cm) Right H 13.5 ins (34...

Pair of hand-carved hardwood stools attributed to the Oromo people of Ethiopia, 1970s. Each stool is sculpted from a single block of dense wood, with a broad concave seat supported b...

Vintage Nupe of Nigeria thinly cast hollow bronze purse or container, probably created by the lost wax process with attached bronze bells and rings. Hollow with fine overlaid designs...

Early and rare mask from Gabon, Central Africa, created by the Tsogho peoples. Powerful large mask with carved open eyes, and black painted eyes above, below heavy carved eyebrows. ...

Stone reliefs from the Old Kingdom such as this, were typically found in the door jambs for false doors in a funerary setting or tomb. Given the left facing direction of the striding...

An authentic large wooden “plank” mask from the Nafana people of West Africa, mid-20th century. Hand-carved with bold geometric forms and stylized facial features, this piece was tra...

Leather Shield, South Sudan A small leather shield typical of the region known as an upwal, concave hide is attached to a reed spine with plaiting to form a strong grip. Mounted on ...

A dazzling and dynamic composition, this brightly illustrated limestone stele fragment is dedicated to 'Penbuy,' a noted craftsman working in the Valley of the Kings and part of the ...

Carved wood powerful portrait of a Makonde man with a traditional lip plug in his upper lip, high carved cheek bones in the form of a finely carved helmet mask, with attached hair on...

African Gabon Late 20th Century carved wood Galwa mask in tapered ovoid form with overlapping brow, protruding angular nose, geometric eye and mouth holes, 2 side holes plus a styliz...

A superb Igbo Nigeria helmet mask 'Agbogho Mmuo" or Maiden Spirit. Worn as masqurades during funerals, cleansing rituals, harvest festivals, weddings and ...

Benin brass Armlets or Anklets A pair of heavy Brass armlets with three rows of cowrie shells, Certainly a well worn pair one slightly twisted. They have been cleaned at some point. Rare pieces. Benin 19th century and earlier. For similar pair see re thinking pit Pitt Rivers pit rivers museum online collection Oxford UK.

Old and well used Luba wood medicine mortar with classic carved Luba face, DRC Africa. The mortar is heavily worn with deep polished surface outside from many years of use, and the i...

Handcrafted Moroccan Berber Tribal Bracelet, Silver, 1950s Moroccan Berber ethnic bracelet from the High Atlas of Morocco. Handcrafted ...

This magnificent and large Late Period round-topped stele is deftly carved in shallow sunk relief. Below the arching top we find a winged solar-disk flanked by two uraei, and two sym...

Antique Kuba Shoowa Cut-Pile & Embroidered Cloth, DR Congo A graphically compelling example of a Kuba raffia fiber prestige cloth with cut pile and stitched embroidery. In very good...

Traditional antique circa 1940s Collectible women face veil from the Sinai Bedouin Desert Garment Nikab framed in a lucite box. Museum quality well preserved Middle Eastern Bedouin women face veil, from the Bedouin tribes of the Sinai Desert. Face veil for a Bedouin Women, North Sinai Egypt or Palestine Mid 20th C. An amazing Niqab, Negev Bedouin veil from Palestine or Egypt. Worked on a base of thin red silk and cotton embroidery with antique Ottoman nickel silver coins, glass beads, wool, embroidered, stones, carnelians, glass, and amber. Mid 20th century, circa 1940-50s typical Middle Eastern traditional Arabian Bedouin, Egyptian, Palestinian face mask, garment, head dress, tribal jewelry, bridal veil. Showing heavily decorated in the bottom with silver nickel hands amulets for the Evil Eye protection and early textiles (wool and silk) and tassels hanging down. Face coverings were worn for centuries by the women of various nomadic tribal groups of North Africa and the Middle East. In the western desert of Egypt, Berber women living in Bedouin societies sometimes wear masks or veils called niqab. The veils serve multiple functions, including protecting the women’s face from sun damage, filtering dust from the air, displaying adornment, and demonstrating wealth or status. The niqab worn by Bedouin women on special occasions are sometimes elaborately decorated with coins and beads, like this one. Such masks are not for everyday use; they would be too hot and heavy. They are worn during special events, such as weddings and feasts. Face veil: 12" W x 19" L, circa 1915-1930. Last pictures are references from the book: "Traditional Palestinian Embroidery...

Light masks like these represented the spirit of an ancestor and were used for social control by Ngil, the judiciary association. The facial markings, abstract features and strong, e...

Good of female Yoruba Ibeji Figures Finely carved in dense wood with linear decoration to the body Nigeria Period Early 20th century Size: 27 and 25 cm Condition: Good Fine...

Kuba (Bushong) Raffia Fiber Textile Panel From Woman’s Skirt The Bushong people are one of the largest and most dominant ethnic groups within the Kuba Kingdom in the DR Congo, and h...

Antique Kuba Shoowa Cut-Pile & Embroidered Cloth, DR Congo A graphically compelling example of a Kuba raffia fiber prestige cloth with cut pile and stitched embroidery. In very good...

This is tapa (bark cloth) made by the Mbuti people, also known as pygmies, an indigenous people who live in the Ituri Forest, which stretches from northeastern Democratic Republic of...

This striking and rather curious object is the curved fragment preserving an edge of a monumental granite vessel. It features hieroglyphs along both the broad front side of the fragm...

A whimsical and playful early 20th century leopard-form mancala game board carved with the board resting on the leopard's back and with a patina that only a hundred years of use coul...

Collection of Six Dan and Bassa Passport Miniature Masks Ivory Coast Africa Dan and Bassa passport masks were small masks for individuals carried as charms for protection and healin...

An incredible early 20th century Makenge hand-built ceramic palm wine pot with a graceful shape including a narrow neck and a wide belly. The pot is covered ...

A late 19th or early 20th century Kuba Prestige cloth, mostly embroidered with cut pile borders.

Elegant vintage designer Moroccan kaftan, purple violet color velvet embroidered with Turkish gold threads design all-over. This is an Ottoman styl...

Ngaady aMwaash Mask. African Antique Folk Art Kuba Mask, originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Property from a Private Collection. Acquired by a Norwegian Collector...

Heads of a king, like this one, became popular in the Late and Ptolemaic periods and may have been used as models for sculptors or votive offerings. In the form of a bust of a pharao...

This exceptional canopic jar of broad-shouldered ovoid form, features four columns of incised inscription which include the owner’s name and that of the falcon-headed Son of Horus Qe...

A 1920s handcrafted Ethnic bracelet by Berber women of Morocco. Women wear this kind of bracelet and silver jewelry for special ceremonies and wedding. Silver, but not of the standa...

This exquisite faience amulet is an Aegis featuring the head of Amun-Re. The god is seen here taking on the form of a ram, wearing a striated tripartite wig and sun disc fronted by ...

Shoowa Prestige Cloth Kuba Shoowa peoples DR Congo, Kasai Region Raffia palm fiber, natural and chemical dyes, cut-pile and stem stitch embroidery 24.5 x 24.5 inches (62 x 62 cm) ...

Sculpted in sunk relief, this superb sandstone carving features a pharaoh facing right, wearing a broad collar and either the Red Crown or Double Crown fronted by a uraeus. He prese...

Late 19th Century Hide Shield, Amarro People, Ethiopia A shield from the Amarro people of Ethiopia, this is a more unusual type with raised bumps over the entire surface. The rolled...

A Small Egyptian Bronze Statue of Harpocrates, Circa 1st Century B.C. / 1st Century A.D. The left hand holds the horn of abundance. Provenanc...

This striking image, sculpted in sunken relief of a male bearded deity, likely represents Hapi, the Nile God. The features are prominent, with boldly carved lines, sharp contours, a...

This set of two canopic jars represents unequivocal masterpieces of the type. Carved out of a beautifully rich white veined caramel alabaster, both jars are deftly executed and of r...

Vintage Moroccan mirror, hand painted, wooden Moorish window shaped mirror. Beautiful hand crafted mirror in a traditional hand painted Mooris...

Ligbi mask, with a protruding plate on the head engraved with decorative motifs. Highlights of blue pigments and kaolin enhance this small mask, satin black patina. The appearance is...

Set of two Moroccan brass Berber tribal sugar hammer. Moroccan Collectible Brass Berber Sugar Hammer,Brass Berber Tribal Sugar Hammer. Authentic old Tuare...