Early 20th C. Congolese Kuba Wood & Bronze Prestige Axe

Lot 57

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686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
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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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Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa Fe, NM by Artemis Fine Arts

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Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa F...

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

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Lot Description

Central Africa, Congo, Kuba people, ca. early 20th century CE. An elegant Kuba prestige axe, finely crafted with a carved wooden handle and a bronze blade intricately decorated with incised anthropomorphic figures. The haft is shaped with a bold, spiral-twist grip, terminating in a rounded pommel and a head carved with a textured, crosshatched pattern. The blade, pierced with a diamond-shaped opening and circular apertures, is richly embellished with engraved human forms and a crocodile, each rendered in the Kuba geometric style. Among the Kuba, such axes were not weapons of war but emblems of status, wealth, and authority. They were carried by chiefs, dignitaries, and high-ranking men during ceremonial gatherings, public audiences, and dances, serving as visible signs of political and social standing. Size: 9.5" W x 17.3" H (24.1 cm x 43.9 cm); 10.2" H (25.9 cm) on included custom stand.

The decorated bronze blade not only testified to the owner's prestige but also to the skill of Kuba metalworkers, whose reputation for refined casting and engraving was widely admired in Central Africa. The combination of an elaborately carved handle and symbolically charged blade transforms this functional form into a work of courtly art. The warm patina of both wood and metal speaks to its long ceremonial life within the Kuba cultural sphere.

Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, acquired in 2010 via descent; ex-private Ralph T. Coe collection, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, acquired in December 1994; ex-Kania-Ferrin Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

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#196228

Condition

Some stable fissures to handle, as well as weathering to surface, commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with nice remaining detail and light patina throughout.
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