Mystery comb question

i just purchased a number of Inuit items from a local estate. Some where from Canada and others from Alaska. This large bone or ivory comb was on the "Inuit shelf" but there were a number of African pieces in the collection as well.

So the question is: Is this piece Inuit (i.e. from Lapland) or is it African? There is somewhat of an Ashanti feel to it.

Thanks in advance.

 

Is that made from bone?

 

It has a distinct African feel to me too. Google Ashanti comb and see what pops up. African combs have those long round teeth on them.

 

There are no discernable Schreger lines so I'm not sure if it is ivory or bone. It is quite large and flat however (approximately 8 1/2" tall x 2" x 1/4") so not sure what bone it could be from.

 

The design patterns and the form itself, are not those associated with Inuit combs, so I would rule that out.

The Inuit are not from Lapland, however. That would be the Sami, (also known as Saami, Lapps, or Laplanders) who, although they live in the Arctic region, are not related to the Inuit. The form, and the size, pretty much rule out Sami art, though, since most is carved from reindeer antler or bone.

I agree that it looks more African than anything else. A lot of African tribes, other than the Ashanti, make this type of comb, although I can't say for sure who made this. Here is a web site showing a Tutsi comb that has some of the same feel about it: http://barbaraanneshaircombblog.com/comb/auction-2/tribal- art-auktion-de/

 

kenyan



ashanti...

so yes...African

 

Aplogies for not using more precise language. I should have used "arctic" rather than Inuit. The reason for the uncertainty is due to the coincidental resemblance to a number of Sami spoons that I have seen over the years