Menu
EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBZimbabwean Shona Wood Headrest w/ Brass Inlay
Lot 71b
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
Categories
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,000 - $1,800
Absentee vs Live bid
Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
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
East Africa, Zimbabwe, Shona people, ca. 1900 CE. A masterfully wrought wood and inlaid brass wire headrest, this work embodies the artistry and symbolism embedded in Shona personal possessions. Fashioned with a gently curved rectangular platform, its slightly upturned edges are incised with flowing linear motifs, while the base displays the classic eastern-style figure-eight silhouette. Rising between them, the central support is composed of three pairs of upward- and downward-pointing V-shaped motifs flanking two deeply carved concentric disks, the latter evoking ndoro shell ornaments. These prestigious symbols, long associated with political authority, spiritual leadership, and the realm of spirit mediums, may allude to the headrest's role as a conduit for dream-born knowledge and ancestral communication. Among the Shona, headrests were exclusively owned and used by men, serving both as protection for elaborate coiffures and as intimate objects linking the living to the ancestral world. Size: 6" L x 2.3" W x 5.1" H (15.2 cm x 5.8 cm x 13 cm)
Often buried with their owners or passed down to male heirs, such pieces held deep personal resonance. The precise incised decorations have been variously interpreted - perhaps purely aesthetic, perhaps analogues to female cicatrization marks (nyora) signifying maturity, marriageability, and the centrality of women in Shona society. The geometric precision of the interlocking Vs, parallel lines, zigzags, and spirals reflects the sculptor's mastery and the rich iconographic vocabulary of east central Zimbabwe, where this style flourished. The addition of inlaid brass wire enriches the dark patina of the wood, lending a subtle gleam to an object already imbued with layered social and spiritual significance.
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 February 1999; ex-Taylor Dale Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#196295Losses to metal on top with stable hairline surface fissure. Some nicks, chips, and abrasions, all commensurate with age, but, otherwise, nice presentation with light patina in areas.Condition
- Shipping Info
-
All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Fine Arts will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please ask before bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
-
- Buyer's Premium
