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THB19th C. Nigerian Igbo Painted Wood Dance Staff w/ Head
Lot 52a
About Seller
Artemis Fine Arts
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,200 - $2,500
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Fine Arts
Aug 22, 2025
Set Reminder
2025-08-22 10:00:00
2025-08-22 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa Fe, NM
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/indigenous-art---ralph-t-coe-center-santa-fe-nm-20324
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
View Full Catalog (452)
- Lot Description
West Africa, Nigeria, Igbo people, ca. 1880 CE. A finely carved wooden dance staff from the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, featuring a dynamic arrangement of symbolic motifs and surmounted by a boldly rendered human head. The staff is constructed in a vertical sequence of carved elements, with four pairs of opposing crescent-shaped projections along the shaft, their rhythmic repetition lending both balance and movement to the composition. The base terminates in an elongated, tapering finial carved in the form of a human head with a pronounced brow, deeply incised features, and an open-mouthed smile revealing carefully delineated teeth. Traces of red, black, and white pigment remain on the surface, hinting at its once vibrant polychromy. Dance staffs of this type were carried in ceremonial performances, processions, and masquerades, serving as emblems of status, ancestral reverence, and community identity. Size: 34" L x 5" W (86.4 cm x 12.7 cm)
Within Igbo society, such staffs could be associated with titled individuals, dance societies, or specific deities, their carved imagery functioning as both a visual narrative and a conduit for spiritual engagement. The human head motif, common in Igbo art, alludes to the seat of wisdom, the essence of identity, and the power of the individual within the collective.
The artistry here demonstrates a mastery of form and symbolic abstraction, with the interplay of geometric projections and figural carving reflecting the Igbo sculptural tradition's blend of bold simplification and expressive detail. With its aged patina, traces of pigment, and well-handled surfaces, this staff stands as a testament to the cultural and aesthetic vitality of 19th century Igbo ceremonial arts.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, acquired in 2010 via descent; ex-private collection of Ralph T. Coe, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, purchased in October 1995; ex-Valerie Areta, Kensington Church Street, London, England, UK
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.
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#195973Some scuffs, nicks, and abrasions, commensurate with age, but, otherwise, intact and excellent with good remaining pigments.Condition
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