Featured Asante ox bone carving

Hi all,think this was correctly identified by the seller as a antique Asante ox bone carving. The few examples I find seems all to date from around 1920’s. I did find a similar water buffalo bone carving (motif is different) apparently by the Yoruba tribe Cira 1910.

So are these typically all from around 1910-1920’s or do you get some that are older?

It’s 36cm long,13cm wide at base. Weights 2,25kg.

Thank you for any comments and keep well

 

Yes, it is Yoruba. Some of the headdresses are based on that of the famous queen mother of Ife, a Medieval Yoruba empire.

I have no idea of the age though. I always assumed them to be nice quality souvenirs because of the Ife imagery, but I could be totally wrong.

 

Well, it used to be his , now it's your uba.......

one of the finer African carvings I've seen in a long while !!!!!!!!!

Nice find !!!!!

 

Can't someone do something about your "humor"?

 

I would try communicating with Curious Antiques, who is offering a similar carving on ebay (and sellingantiques), which they date to c.1910. I would want to ask what evidence they have that supports that date -

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/265092514578?hash=item3db8bec312:g:U54AAOSwf3pgUz8x

https://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/788073/large-african-carved-water-buffalo-thigh-bone-c1910/

A few other examples I found online claim similar early 20th century dates, but this may be an instance of internet misinformation reproducing itself. The styles and patinas on these are so similar that they might all have come from the same workshop -

https://www.bobshop.co.za/item/5900...nti_African_Hand_Carved_Bone_Leg_H_38_cm.html

https://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/926577/1920s-ashanti-african-carved-bone-leg/

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/african-carved-bone-sculpture-251-c-7494b93b35

African souvenir art can be difficult to date. It generally has not been studied to establish a reliable chronology. I would like someone to be able to say something like "this souvenir was bought by granddad when he worked in Nigeria in 1920". A clue might be the use of what appears to be bovine bone. Prior to the 1989 CITES agreement protecting elephants, ivory would have been a more desirable material to use.

 

maybe .....The Good Humour Man !!!!!!

 

Thanks for the reply and information AJ. Read about Ife now and was interesting.

 

Well glad you like it.

 

Thank you for commenting,searching and providing links. I understand what you say and agree it’s a difficult thing to really date accurately. Interesting comment about the ivory. I will contact one of the advertisers and see if I get a reply.

 

I do think it’s a quality thing and well carved.