African Bamun fertility statue - Cameroon.
02
days
13
hours
11
minutes
39
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
With almost a decade of experience bridging science, museum curation, and traditional blacksmithing, Julien has developed a unique expertise in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 200 - € 250
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Description from the seller
Cameroon: African Bamun fertility statue - Cameroon.
Hand carved from a single piece of wood
Size: 34 cm in height.
This Bamum statue dates from the mid/second part of the 20th century and was purchased in my private collection in 2013, with a certificate of authenticity.
The Bamum, sometimes called Bamoum, Bamun, Bamoun, or Mum, are a Grassfields ethnic group of Cameroon with around 215,000 members. The Bamum traditional religion placed great emphasis on ancestral spirits which were embodied in the skulls of the deceased ancestors. The eldest males of each lineage had possession of the skulls of deceased males. When moving, a diviner must find an appropriate place to hold the skull. Despite these efforts some men's skulls remained unclaimed and their spirits are deemed restless. Ceremonies are thus done to placate these spirits. There is also respect for female skulls, but the details are less documented.
They also believed women made the soil fruitful, thus women did the planting and harvesting. Masks and representations of the head also had importance. In modern times, many Bamum are Muslim or Christian. King Ibrahim Njoya himself converted to Islam then to Christianity and then back to Islam after the Treaty of Versailles. He is said to have disliked abstaining from polygamy when Christian, and from alcohol when Muslim, so ultimately split the difference toward the end.
Seller's Story
A SUMMARY OF OUR AFRICA-GALLERY SELLING POLICIES.
Our Africa-gallery specialized in Ethiopian tribal art, collected and sell tribal used art from all over Africa and special from Ethiopia.
Our Gallery have a collection of authentic, original and traditional art from Africa. This collection including masks, statues, pottery, musical instruments, manuscripts, headrests and other antique, primitive art and various unusual items.
I hardly ever buy directly from Africa. All my items that I sell are old and (tribal) used. My objects come from European and American private collections, auction houses, fellow dealers and other collectors from around the world.
This site gives you an impression of our stock and activities. Authentic, museum quality African tribal art at wholesale prices
We strive to provide deeper public appreciation for high quality African art and to make it accessible to all collectors.
High quality masks, carvings, statues, fetishes, animal figures, ritual objects and bronzes displayed here will add beauty to any home and value to any collection.
In addition, an ever-growing demand for rapidly disappearing original African tribal art makes it a sound investment.
As long-time experienced collectors, we carefully select and authenticate every artifact. Shown here are original, high quality, hand-crafted pieces made of wood or bronze which can be yours at a fraction of gallery prices! Years of traditional use added distinction to many of them.
We guarantee the authenticity of every item and your complete satisfaction. We make every effort to research and document the history of each artifact.
In our gallery you will find a nice selection of our stock. If you find something that is not on the site, let us know. We always have a large stock of items that are not on our site.
Please let us know if you do not see items you want. We may be able to find them for you.
Stand - The stand is not included in the price,
Shipping - We ship worldwide. We try and get shipments out as quickly as possible after payment, usually shipping four times weekly.
Combined shipping - For buyers of multiple items please email us when done shopping for your combined invoice with reduced shipping fees. For urgent deliveries we can arrange courier shipments via DHL (additional charges incurred to be covered by the buyer).
Delivery – Delivery to most destinations is anywhere between 2 to 8 business days inside Europe and 16 to 21 business days to the rest of the world, after receiving our email confirmation that the item has been shipped. Parcels shipped from the Netherlands are sent using the Post NL and the parcel status is traceable online.
Refunds & Returns – We are aiming for your complete satisfaction. If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase please return the item to us for a complete refund or exchange. No hassles, no questions asked. Refunds will be issued via PayPal or by Bank only. The shipping costs are not refundable.
Please Contact Us – For any questions, concerns, or clarifications before bidding on or purchasing an item. We are usually able to respond within 24 hours. To avoid spam filters please establish initial contact through the Africa-gallery messaging system.
Thank you for visiting our site!
Kind regards,
Gijs van Kuijk
Translated by Google TranslateCameroon: African Bamun fertility statue - Cameroon.
Hand carved from a single piece of wood
Size: 34 cm in height.
This Bamum statue dates from the mid/second part of the 20th century and was purchased in my private collection in 2013, with a certificate of authenticity.
The Bamum, sometimes called Bamoum, Bamun, Bamoun, or Mum, are a Grassfields ethnic group of Cameroon with around 215,000 members. The Bamum traditional religion placed great emphasis on ancestral spirits which were embodied in the skulls of the deceased ancestors. The eldest males of each lineage had possession of the skulls of deceased males. When moving, a diviner must find an appropriate place to hold the skull. Despite these efforts some men's skulls remained unclaimed and their spirits are deemed restless. Ceremonies are thus done to placate these spirits. There is also respect for female skulls, but the details are less documented.
They also believed women made the soil fruitful, thus women did the planting and harvesting. Masks and representations of the head also had importance. In modern times, many Bamum are Muslim or Christian. King Ibrahim Njoya himself converted to Islam then to Christianity and then back to Islam after the Treaty of Versailles. He is said to have disliked abstaining from polygamy when Christian, and from alcohol when Muslim, so ultimately split the difference toward the end.
Seller's Story
A SUMMARY OF OUR AFRICA-GALLERY SELLING POLICIES.
Our Africa-gallery specialized in Ethiopian tribal art, collected and sell tribal used art from all over Africa and special from Ethiopia.
Our Gallery have a collection of authentic, original and traditional art from Africa. This collection including masks, statues, pottery, musical instruments, manuscripts, headrests and other antique, primitive art and various unusual items.
I hardly ever buy directly from Africa. All my items that I sell are old and (tribal) used. My objects come from European and American private collections, auction houses, fellow dealers and other collectors from around the world.
This site gives you an impression of our stock and activities. Authentic, museum quality African tribal art at wholesale prices
We strive to provide deeper public appreciation for high quality African art and to make it accessible to all collectors.
High quality masks, carvings, statues, fetishes, animal figures, ritual objects and bronzes displayed here will add beauty to any home and value to any collection.
In addition, an ever-growing demand for rapidly disappearing original African tribal art makes it a sound investment.
As long-time experienced collectors, we carefully select and authenticate every artifact. Shown here are original, high quality, hand-crafted pieces made of wood or bronze which can be yours at a fraction of gallery prices! Years of traditional use added distinction to many of them.
We guarantee the authenticity of every item and your complete satisfaction. We make every effort to research and document the history of each artifact.
In our gallery you will find a nice selection of our stock. If you find something that is not on the site, let us know. We always have a large stock of items that are not on our site.
Please let us know if you do not see items you want. We may be able to find them for you.
Stand - The stand is not included in the price,
Shipping - We ship worldwide. We try and get shipments out as quickly as possible after payment, usually shipping four times weekly.
Combined shipping - For buyers of multiple items please email us when done shopping for your combined invoice with reduced shipping fees. For urgent deliveries we can arrange courier shipments via DHL (additional charges incurred to be covered by the buyer).
Delivery – Delivery to most destinations is anywhere between 2 to 8 business days inside Europe and 16 to 21 business days to the rest of the world, after receiving our email confirmation that the item has been shipped. Parcels shipped from the Netherlands are sent using the Post NL and the parcel status is traceable online.
Refunds & Returns – We are aiming for your complete satisfaction. If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase please return the item to us for a complete refund or exchange. No hassles, no questions asked. Refunds will be issued via PayPal or by Bank only. The shipping costs are not refundable.
Please Contact Us – For any questions, concerns, or clarifications before bidding on or purchasing an item. We are usually able to respond within 24 hours. To avoid spam filters please establish initial contact through the Africa-gallery messaging system.
Thank you for visiting our site!
Kind regards,
Gijs van Kuijk
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Excellent condition
Title of artwork
African Bamun fertility statue - Cameroon.
Height
34 cm
Provenance
Private collection
Sold by
