**Originally Listed At $500**
West Africa, Mali, Bamana/Malinke peoples, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A hand-carved door lock depicting a stylized anthropomorphic figure in the traditional Bamana style. The horizontal slide bar has a rectangular groove along the top as well as incised crosshatch motifs across the front, and the vertical figural body is decorated with linear motifs and impressed circular patterns. The abstract head bears a minimalist countenance of a T-shaped nose and eyebrows and rests atop a stocky neck. The pointed element at the bottom of the body is suggestive of a phallus and indicates this figure's gender as a male. Size: 15.4" W x 15.3" H (39.1 cm x 38.9 cm); 17.75" H (45.1 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: ex-private Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA collection; ex-private old New England, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s; ex-Dr. Peter Horvath collection, Massachusetts and Florida, 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.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance),
we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#156728
Condition
Nicks and abrasions to lock bar, vertical body and head, peripheries, and verso, with encrustations and fading to pigment, and light softening to some finer details, otherwise intact and very good. Nice remains of pigment throughout.