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THB20th C. Kuba Beaded Cowrie Shell, Burlap, & Feather Hat
Lot 320
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,200 - $1,800
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| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
May 27, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-05-27 10:00:00
2021-05-27 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : CLEARANCE | Antiquities & Ethnographic Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/clearance-antiquities-ethnographic-art-7010
Featuring discounted pricing and many new items! Asian art, Classical antiquities from Egypt, Greece, Italy, and the Near East...plus Pre-Columbian, Tribal, Russian Icons & Enamelware, Spanish Colonial, Fine Art, more! Some starting prices have been reduced up to 65% from original auction prices! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Featuring discounted pricing and many new items! Asian art, Classical antiquities from Egypt, Greece, Italy, and the Near East...plus Pre-Columbian, Tribal, Russian Icons & Enamelware, Spanish Colonial, Fine Art, more! Some starting prices have been reduced up to 65% from original auction prices! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (398)
- Lot Description
**First Time At Auction**
Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kuba peoples, Ngeende subgroup, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A remarkable beaded headdress known as a mpaan, which is worn by senior female title holders in Kuba society. The elaborate cap is adorned with cowrie shells, glass beads, cloth, and a fabulous plumed top. Formed with a burlap-lined wicker basket-like frame, the impressive hat displays hundreds of navy, scarlet, and white glass beads sewn with rattan fiber in lovely zigzag, rhomboid, and spiral motifs, as well as dozens of cowrie shells in crisscross designs, all sewn onto cloth in hues of rosy pink, lemon yellow, and emerald. The back portion of the headdress is adorned by a projecting tier, also intricately embellished with beads and cowrie shells, and featuring 3 decorative knobs that extend outwards, while a large tuft of caramel-hued feathers bloom from the top, surrounded by an undulating border of more cowrie shells and beads. The rich plumage is capped with a petite beaded adornment of hemispherical form. The undulating border nearly parallels the dramatic periphery of the headdress, which features a V-shape across the wearer's forehead. Note - the yellow and green cloth is embellished by an avian design, perhaps a reference to the feathered cap! Size: 13.25" L x 13" W x 13" H (33.7 cm x 33 cm x 33 cm); 22" H (55.9 cm) on included custom stand.
The white cowrie shells are from the Indian Ocean (about 1,500 miles from the Kuba peoples) and were attained by trade via the Kasai River region of central Africa. Cowrie shells were not only used as currency in exchange for ivory, but also represent death, mourning, and ancestors' bones to the Kuba peoples.
Provenance: private Chicago, Illinois, USA collection; ex-Doug Dawson Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, USA; ex-B.C. Holland Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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.
#164358Some very light fraying to rattan fibre and fabric in a few small areas. Otherwise, intact and excellent.Condition
- Shipping Info
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All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
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