Hurst Gallery exhibit archives....
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Sub-Saharan Designs: Crafts of the African Potter and Smith:

Exhibtion List

 

Pottery

1. ST-061899-01
Head
Bura-Asinda-Sikka, Burkina Faso
3rd-11th century A.D.
Terra cotta
H: 5.5 in., W: 4 in.
$700
The heads of the Bura-Asinda-Sikka are usually completely flat, are distinguished by great simplicity and in most cases are decorated with logitudinal bulges in relief (Schaedler, 1997).

2. ST-061899-02
Head
Bura-Asinda-Sikka, Burkina Faso
3rd-11th century A.D.
Terra cotta
H: 5.5 in., W: 4 in.
$700

3. ST-061899-03
Head
Bura-Asinda-Sikka, Burkina Faso
3rd-11th century A.D.
Terra cotta
W: 3 in.
$700

4. ST-061899-04
Head
Nok, Nigeria
500 B.C.-200 A.D.
Terra cotta
500 B.C.-200 A.D
L: 4 in., W: 3 in.
$1500

5. ST-061899-05
Arm
Nok, Nigeria
500 B.C.-200 A.D
L: 6.5 in., W: 2.5 in.
$1000

6. ST-39047-9
Three vessels
Bura-Asinda-Sikka, Burkino Faso
3rd-11th century A.D.
Terra cotta
H: 18 in., 25 in., 35 in. respectively
$900, 1000, 2500
These richly ornamented and somewhat phallically designed conical receptacles were buried with the opening facing down and allegedly filled with clothes and other belongings of the deceased.

7. WOK-01
Pot
Benin, Nigeria
First half 20th century
Pottery
L: 13.5 in., D: 15 in.
$2000
Footed bowl with banded design and applied lugs and balls, the cylindrical base with rectangular cutouts.

8. WOK-02
Pot
Bida, Nigeria
First half 20th century
Pottery
H: 14 in., D: 17 in.
$1200
Stew pot with applied arches and stippled panels and crosses around the rim.

9. WOK-03
Jar
Nupe, Nigeria
First half 20th century
Pottery
H: 15 in., D: 12 in.
$900
Double gourd from with burnished and banded designs.

10. WOK-04
Pot
Yoruba, Nigeria
First half 20th century
Pottery
H: 10.5 in., D: 14 in.
$1200
Footed stew pot with incised rim and shoulder including a triangular design with globular appliques at the apexes of the triangular intersecting design lines.

11. WOK-05
Pot
Gwari, Nigeria
First half 20th century
Pottery
H: 13 in., D: 15 in.
$1000
Water pot with expanded flat rim above an indented band, the body covered with panels of hatched and grooved designs with three lugs applied below the rim.

12. WOK-06
Bowl
Igbo, Nigeria
First half 20th century
Pottery
H: 6 in., D: 12 in.
$2400
Low bowl, the rim applied with four figures, their hands raised to their mouths; coiled tab spacers between the figures. Probably ceremonial in function.

13. WOK-07
Jar
Yoruba, Nigeria
Early 20th century
Pottery
H: 16 in., D: 10.5 in.
$1500

14. WOK-08
Jar
Yoruba, Nigeria
20th century
Pottery
H: 5 in., D: 6.5 in.
$750
Container for Olokun Cult of carinated form with flat rim, applied with aquatic creatures, including swimming birds and snakes.

15. WOK-09
Pot
Bida, Nigeria
First half 20th century
Pottery
H: 12 in., D: 17 in.
$1200
Stew pot, the exterior decorated with stippled panels and applied arches around the shoulder.

16. WOK-10
Pot
Nupe, Nigeria
Mid-20th century
Pottery
H: 13 in., D: 14 in.
$900 (sold)

17. WOK-11
Pot
Nupe, Nigeria
Mid-20th century
Pottery
H: 15 in., D: 16 in.
$1200

18. WOK-12
Pot
Edo (Benin), Nigeria
First half 20th century
Pottery
H: 11.5 in., D: 13 in.
$1800
Stew pot with stippling raised dentate bands and applied lugs and tabs.

19. WOK-13
Pot
Yoruba, Nigeria
Mid-20th century
Pottery
H: 13 in., D: 9 in.
$1200
Footed figural jar surmounted with a human head and arms holding a miniature pot applied to the side of the vessel, two other open supports applied with lizard anthropomorphs. The shoulder of the jar with three-dimensional avian, possibly owl images, and two fans in low relief.

20. WOK-14
Pot
Igbo, Nigeria
First half 20th century
Pottery
H: 14 in., D: 14 in.
$1200
Stew pot engraved with panels of parallel and arching geometric elements.

21. WOK-15
Jar
Igbo, Nigeria
First half 20th century
Pottery
H: 15 in., D: 13 in.
$2000 (sold)
Globular jar with neck and flaring flattened rim, the lower portion of the body with a raised banded design, the shoulder with arching bands enclosing circular motifs.

 

 

Weapons

 

22. WOK-16
Sword (ada)
Benin, Nigeria
Iron, bone or ivory
L: 35 in.
$3500

23. WOK-17
Sword
Yoruba, Nigeria
Circa 1900
Brass
L: 22.5 in.
$2750

24. WOK-18
Status symbol
Yoruba, Nigeria
Circa 1900
Brass
L: 18.25 in.
$1200

25. WOK-19
Knife and scabbard
Lokele, Democratic Republic of Congo
Circa 1900
Wood, steel, copper, soft metal, hide
L: 21 in.
$4000

26. AF-070899-01
Throwing Knife (muder)
Ingassana, Sudan
Metal, fiber
H: 32 in.
$3500 (sold)

27. AF-070899-02
Ceremonial sword
Benin
Metal
$4000

28. HG-04
Executioner's sword (ngulu)
Ngombe or Ngala peoples, Zaire
Iron, brass, wood
L: 24.5 in.
$1200
The executioner's sword is a ceremonial wepon found over a wide area along the Zaire river. According to Quiggin, these weapon forms were used as status symbols, ceremonial regalia, and dance implements. The "ngulu" was notorious for its use in the ligbettu ceremony to execute war slaves (Hurst, N. "Ngola: The Weapon as Authority, Identity, and Ritual Object in Sub-Saharan Africa," Hurst Gallery, 1997: p.26.)

29. JAH-B299
Sword in sheath with ivory attachment
Shi peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, wood, brass, copper, ivory, hide
L: 29.5 in.
$1500

30. JAH-BEL18
Throwing knife (za or ngunda)
Ngbaka or Ngombe peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th- early 20th century
Iron, wood, hide, fiber
L: 18.25, W: 13 in.
$1400

31. JAH-BEL280
Knife
Tetela or Konda peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, brass, wood
L: 21.5 in,
$1350

32. JAH-CO13
Executioner's sword (ngulu)
Ngbaka or Ngombe peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19 century
Iron, wood, brass
L: 27 in.
Collected before 1892 by Amy French Sheldon
$2000

33. JAH-CO33
Scimitar
Azande peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, wood, copper, brass tacks
L: 39 in.
$1650

34. JAH-CO43
Knife
Kutu or Saka peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, wood, brass, hide
L: 18.5 in., W: 3.25 in.
$1850

35. JAH-CO50
Knife with iron pommel
Mbole peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, copper, wood
L: 21 in., W: 4.8 in.
$1500

36. JAH-CO53
Knife
Tetela or Konda peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, copper, wood
L: 17.3 in.
$1800

37. JAH-CO63
Knife in sheath
Ngbandi peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, copper, wood, animal hide covering and miscellaneous materials, fiber, glass beads
L: 14.25 in.
$1800

38. JAH-CO67
Sickle knife
Mangbetu peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, wood, copper
L: 16.67 in., W: 7.5 in.
$800

39. JAH- C074
Throwing knife
Sara or Potokwo peoples, Republic of Chad/Cameroon
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron
L: 29.2 in.
$1000
This simple F-shaped weapon originated in the flood plain southeast of Lake Chad, and has spread eastward throughout many regions in the African Sahel. It is effective when thrown sidearm either by a man on foot or by a swiftly moving horseman. Non-Islamic Sara blacksmiths called "kodi" forged the knife, basing its shape on indigenous wooden throwing sticks which rotate in flight.

40. JAH-CO75
Throwing knife (sengese)
Matakam peoples, Cameroon/Nigeria
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, animal hide, fiber
L: 23.75 in.
$2200

41. JAH-CO8
Knife
Eastern Sudan
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, animal hide, reptile skin
L: 15.75
$3500 (sold)

42. JAH- CO86
Throwing knife
Ngombe peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, animal hide
L: 25 in., W: 11.5 in.
$2800

43. JAH-J203
Axe
Lamba, Tanzania/Zambia
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, wood, brass
L: 18.25 in., W: 10.2 in.
$800

44. JAH-J223
Executioner's sword
Lobala peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, wood, brass
L: 21.85 in., W: 7.4 in.
$950

45. JAH-J231
Sword
Ngombe or Ngandu peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, wood, brass
L: 20 in., W: 3.55 in.
$650

46. JAH-J234
Axe
Shankadi (Southwestern Luba), Central Africa, Probably Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Wood, iron
L: 16 in., W: 8 in.
$2300

47. JAH-J296-7
Pair of knives
Mbole peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
L: 20.57 in.
$2300 for pair

48. JAH-J304
Knife
Ngandu or neighboring peoples, Democratic Republic of Congo
Late 19th-early 20th century
Iron, wood, copper
L: 19.5 in., W: 3.85 in.
$1200

49. NH-050699-07-8
Spear currencies
Lokele, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
Late 19th century
Iron
H: 66.5 in.
$1200
Lanceolate beaten iron form with lozenge shaped bases and cylindrical stems. Although they have spear shaped heads, the thinly hammered iron renders them useless as actual weapons. These forms were hoarded in groups and used in important exchanges such as bride wealth.

50. NH-072497-02
Knife
Konda, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
Late 19th century
Wood, metal
L: 19 in., painted on blade "CC-40502 and "982/L109"
$200

51. NH-072497-04
Sword (ngulu)
Ngombe of Ngala, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
Late 19th century
Wood, copper, iron, cotton
L: 26 in., painted on blade "CC-40502 and "982/L109"
$900

 

IMAGES


WOK-01

 


WOK-02

 


WOK-03

 


WOK-04

 


WOK-05

 


WOK-06

 


WOK-07

 


WOK-09

 


WOK-11

 


WOK-12

 


WOK-13

 


WOK-14

 

Weapons


 

 

 


JAH-B299

 


JAH-CO33

 


JAH-CO43

 


JAH-CO74

 


JAH-CO75

 


JAH-CO86

 


JAH-J234

 


JAH-J296-7

 

For more information on these pieces please contact the gallery or send email to:
manager@hurstgallery.com

 

 

Last updated 08/10/99, All material copyright Hurst Gallery 1999