What is it and how, when and where was it used.

I purchased this several years ago, nobody knew what it was. It is marked on the old auction tag PB eighty-four (Parke Bernet) I believed that it's a division of Sotheby's, I emailed several times and I received no replies.
It measures 16" (40.6cm) tip to tip and the 9 figures measure 5.5" (14cm) long x .75" (2cm) square.
No one has been able to tell me what it is, and how it was used, any help would be appreciated. TIA @komokwa @tapou @Any Jewelry ...........
Andre

 

Might be these guys.
nine planetary deities or Navagraha
https://www.exoticindiaart.com/prod...brihaspati-shukra-shani-rahu-and-ketu-ZEN582/
Lots of nine gods around.
https://www.google.com/search?q=nin...UY73MBHbuCD3cQ_AUoAXoECBsQAw&biw=1317&bih=648

 

Sorry, I can't help. I have seen them before though. Maybe @2manybooks knows?

 

They remind me of ancestor figures, similar to these from the Indonesian Island of Nias:

https://www.catawiki.com/l/4745055-six-decorative-wooden-ancestor-figures-adu-zatua-nias-indonesia

The catawiki entry notes that this particular set is "decorative", (as opposed to having been made for their traditional use). Yours are much simpler, and seem to be designed to hang upside down, which I don't believe would be appropriate. They may be copies made for sale. But I am not sure.

 

unknown to me........

 

I would have never thought of searching nine Gods, thanks for the suggestion.

 

I agree, that it would be inappropriate for the figures to be hanging upside down.
Yes, they are simply carved, but important enough to be sold at a PB auction. The mystery would be solved if I could find the PB auction catalog, and read how it was listed.

 

You could try a search for "Parke-Bernet Galleries catalog", but you would have to wade through however many turn up, looking for ones that featured tribal or Asian art. Presumably it should date before they were bought by Sotheby's in 1964, but might still appear as just Parke-Bernet up to the mid 1970s.

 

Thank you, 2manybooks, I will try searching again.

 

This is an older post, the figures have been identified.
Gica Agnes Fodor-Fraatz from Great or Fake? Discovering African Art FB group identified it as.
This is Indonesian. Borneo Dayak wood amulets. Here’s another example from Invaluable.