Oracle box or mouse box - Baule - Côte d'Ivoire
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 500 - € 550
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Baoulé wooden box with cord and leather from Côte d'Ivoire, a two-tier ritual oracle box for a mouse, measuring approximately 180 × 140 × 140 mm in good condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Ivory Coast
Baoulé
Wood and cord
Height: 180 mm
Width: 140 mm
Depth: 140 mm
Origin and Culture
Region: Ivory Coast.
Ethnicity: These objects are anthropologically linked mainly to the Baoulé people, though they are also found among neighboring Gouro or Yohouré.
Materials and Construction: Standing 18 cm high, it features a typical two-tier structure: a cylindrical base in bark sewn or assembled wood, topped by an earthenware pottery or a raw leather element embedded, all firmly held by bindings of plant fibers and transport cords. A fine patina of use and sediments (earth, ritual dust) bears witness to its age and repeated handling.
Ritual Use and Function
This box was not used to trap rodents, but to interpret messages from earth spirits through them. The ritual generally unfolded as follows:
The double compartment: The interior of the box is horizontally divided into two levels connected by a small opening. A soil mouse (considered a privileged intermediary because it lives underground, in contact with ancestors and spirits) was placed inside the box.
The oracle table: In the upper part, the diviner (Gbékré Kofwé among the Baoulé) laid a small metal plate or bark on which small sticks, threads or beads were arranged in a very specific initial configuration, often coated with food (such as peanut paste or millet grains).
The handling: The box was closed. Attracted by the food, the mouse climbed to the upper floor to eat. As it moved and fed, it inadvertently disturbed and rearranged the arrangement of the sticks or threads.
The interpretation: The diviner reopened the box and read the new arrangement of objects left by the rodent. This new layout was interpreted as the response of the invisible powers to the questions of the consultant (health issues, family conflicts, agricultural choices or community decisions).
It is an object full of history and sacrality, sought in African art for its strong ethnographic value.
Packages are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide with Colissimo International.
We speak english
Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateIvory Coast
Baoulé
Wood and cord
Height: 180 mm
Width: 140 mm
Depth: 140 mm
Origin and Culture
Region: Ivory Coast.
Ethnicity: These objects are anthropologically linked mainly to the Baoulé people, though they are also found among neighboring Gouro or Yohouré.
Materials and Construction: Standing 18 cm high, it features a typical two-tier structure: a cylindrical base in bark sewn or assembled wood, topped by an earthenware pottery or a raw leather element embedded, all firmly held by bindings of plant fibers and transport cords. A fine patina of use and sediments (earth, ritual dust) bears witness to its age and repeated handling.
Ritual Use and Function
This box was not used to trap rodents, but to interpret messages from earth spirits through them. The ritual generally unfolded as follows:
The double compartment: The interior of the box is horizontally divided into two levels connected by a small opening. A soil mouse (considered a privileged intermediary because it lives underground, in contact with ancestors and spirits) was placed inside the box.
The oracle table: In the upper part, the diviner (Gbékré Kofwé among the Baoulé) laid a small metal plate or bark on which small sticks, threads or beads were arranged in a very specific initial configuration, often coated with food (such as peanut paste or millet grains).
The handling: The box was closed. Attracted by the food, the mouse climbed to the upper floor to eat. As it moved and fed, it inadvertently disturbed and rearranged the arrangement of the sticks or threads.
The interpretation: The diviner reopened the box and read the new arrangement of objects left by the rodent. This new layout was interpreted as the response of the invisible powers to the questions of the consultant (health issues, family conflicts, agricultural choices or community decisions).
It is an object full of history and sacrality, sought in African art for its strong ethnographic value.
Packages are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France with Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery to the rest of Europe and worldwide with Colissimo International.
We speak english
Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Indigenous object name
Oracle box or mouse box
Ethnic group/ culture
Baule
Country of Origin
Côte d'Ivoire
Material
Wood / cordlette / leather
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
