Reliquary doll - Bwende - DR Congo
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days
07
hours
46
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25
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Current bid
€ 2
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Dimitri André
Holds a postgraduate degree in African studies and 15 years experience in African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
13 other people are watching this object
 Bidder 4408 | €2 | |
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| Bidder 4408 | €1 |
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Bwende reliquary doll from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, mid‑20th century, 47 cm high with 1 cm width and 1 cm depth, weighing 1 g, from a private collection, in excellent condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
The Bwende reliquary dolls, originating from the Kongo and related peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Angola), are small anthropomorphic wooden statues, often covered with cloth, beads, or metal. These dolls, also called minkisi or nkisi, served as receptacles for sacred substances (bones, plants, earth) linked to ancestors or spirits.
They were used as objects of worship and protection, placed in family shrines or carried during rituals. Their role was to channel spiritual forces, ensure fertility, healing, or protection against misfortune. Each doll, personalized, embodied a tangible link between the living and the invisible world, thus strengthening the memory and presence of the ancestors within the community.
These objects, far more than artistic representations, were essential mediators between the visible and the invisible, at the heart of Kongo spirituality.
Overview of our expertise firm:
Based in Belgium, our appraisal and sales house has been assisting collectors and families for many years, with a simple approach: seriousness, transparency and service. We enjoy a solid reputation among tribal art enthusiasts and are among the leading sellers on Catawiki, where we count ourselves among the oldest merchants (more than 8 years).
We have specialized in valuing and ensuring the liquidation and dispersion of dozens of family collections, and have sold thousands of objects in partnership with private individuals, notaries, estates, inheritances, and collection cessations. Our track record speaks for itself: hundreds of evaluations nearing 100% positive feedback, an indicator that is worth more than any discussion of our commitment and reliability.
Pieces that have passed through our hands are today in prestigious collections and, for some, have joined museum institutions — a guarantee of the quality and consistency of our selection throughout the year. We regularly offer no-reserve sales.
Express shipping: dispatched within 24 hours, insured, tracking (tracking), and extremely careful and secure packaging.
Contact 7 days a week: we respond quickly and remain at your disposal to advise you and document the items currently for sale.
The Bwende reliquary dolls, originating from the Kongo and related peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Angola), are small anthropomorphic wooden statues, often covered with cloth, beads, or metal. These dolls, also called minkisi or nkisi, served as receptacles for sacred substances (bones, plants, earth) linked to ancestors or spirits.
They were used as objects of worship and protection, placed in family shrines or carried during rituals. Their role was to channel spiritual forces, ensure fertility, healing, or protection against misfortune. Each doll, personalized, embodied a tangible link between the living and the invisible world, thus strengthening the memory and presence of the ancestors within the community.
These objects, far more than artistic representations, were essential mediators between the visible and the invisible, at the heart of Kongo spirituality.
Overview of our expertise firm:
Based in Belgium, our appraisal and sales house has been assisting collectors and families for many years, with a simple approach: seriousness, transparency and service. We enjoy a solid reputation among tribal art enthusiasts and are among the leading sellers on Catawiki, where we count ourselves among the oldest merchants (more than 8 years).
We have specialized in valuing and ensuring the liquidation and dispersion of dozens of family collections, and have sold thousands of objects in partnership with private individuals, notaries, estates, inheritances, and collection cessations. Our track record speaks for itself: hundreds of evaluations nearing 100% positive feedback, an indicator that is worth more than any discussion of our commitment and reliability.
Pieces that have passed through our hands are today in prestigious collections and, for some, have joined museum institutions — a guarantee of the quality and consistency of our selection throughout the year. We regularly offer no-reserve sales.
Express shipping: dispatched within 24 hours, insured, tracking (tracking), and extremely careful and secure packaging.
Contact 7 days a week: we respond quickly and remain at your disposal to advise you and document the items currently for sale.
Details
Indigenous object name
Reliquary doll
Ethnic group/ culture
Bwende
Country of Origin
DR Congo
Period
Mid 20th century
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Excellent condition
Height
47 cm
Width
1 cm
Depth
1 cm
Weight
1 g
Provenance
Private collection
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