Paar Eburi-Fettbehälter – Turkana – Kenia – Holz und Leder (Ohne mindestpreis)

Pair of Eburi Fat Containers – Turkana – Kenya – Wood and Leather

Origin: Kenya
People: Turkana
Type: Pair of traditional fat containers, eburi
Materials: Wood, hide / leather, fibre bindings
Dimensions: Heights 15 cm and 17 cm
Period: Presumably mid-20th century
Provenance: Personally collected in Kenya by the present owner in the early 1990s

A charming pair of traditional Turkana eburi containers from northern Kenya, used for the storage of animal fat.

Both examples are distinguished by their compact, almost drum-shaped construction, deeply developed dark patinas and substantial old leather bindings.

The smaller container, measuring 15 cm high, has a broad, slightly tapering wooden body surrounded by a network of thick leather straps. Its original lid is preserved, together with long, loose leather ties that give the object a particularly expressive character.

The taller example, measuring 17 cm, has a more pronounced cylindrical neck rising above a wider base, partly covered with aged hide. The contrasting textures of the polished dark wood and the heavily weathered leather are particularly attractive.

Both containers retain their lids and display considerable signs of prolonged use.

The wood has acquired a rich, dark reddish-brown to almost black patina, with areas of smooth polish, while the leather elements show wear, dryness, irregularities and traces of old surface deposits.

Their simple, robust construction, broad leather bands and compact proportions give these functional objects an almost brutalist sculptural quality.

Presented together, the two containers form a particularly harmonious pair, appreciated for their complementary shapes, richly aged materials and strong ethnographic character.

Cultural context

Among the Turkana pastoral communities of northern Kenya, small wooden containers known as eburi or ebur were used for storing animal fats and related substances.

These materials played an important role in everyday life, including food preparation, personal care and traditional body treatments.

The containers were generally made from locally available wood, with leather or hide elements used for lids, bases, fastening and carrying straps.

Their compact construction made them suitable for the practical requirements of pastoral life.

Numerous variations in shape, size and leatherwork reflect the ingenuity of traditional Turkana craftsmanship.

Comparable objects are documented in ethnographic collections, including the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, which preserves a Turkana fat container recorded as eburie and collected in the early 1970s.

Condition

Good overall condition for traditional objects of this type and presumed age.

Both containers show extensive signs of use, including surface wear, scratches, abrasions, small losses, irregularities and deeply developed old patinas.

The leather straps, bindings and coverings are dry, worn and partly fragile, with loose ends and areas of deterioration.

Pale surface deposits are visible on parts of the taller container.

Both lids are preserved.

Please examine the photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the description.

Included

The two Turkana containers and their lids.

The transparent photographic support is not included in the sale.