Oracle box or mouse box - Baule - Côte d'Ivoire
04
days
13
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58
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40
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€ 1
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
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Baoulé wooden box from Côte d'Ivoire, a mouse oracle receptacle titled Boîte à oracle ou à souris, 22 cm high, with an anthropomorphic figure, geometric incised motifs, and a braided fibre cord attaching the lid.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Ivory Coast
Baoulé
Wood, metal and cord
Height: 220mm
Width: 165mm
Depth: 245mm
Weight: 2360g
Fine crack on the right side, see photos
This wooden box carved to 22 cm in height possesses the unmistakable characteristics of ritual objects of the Baoulé people (central Ivory Coast region).
More specifically, it is a famous oracle mouse receptacle (called Gbékré or Ile boki).
1. Stylistic Characteristics and Description
The piece testifies to the technical refinement and balance characteristic of Baoulé art:
The leaning figure: An anthropomorphic figure (sometimes tinged with simian features evoking the bush spirit Mbotumbo) is carved on the side of the jar. It is depicted in a classic posture of contemplation or deference, with hands brought to the chin or knees. The hairstyle is finely carved with neatly parallel grooves.
The jar and its lid: The bulbous-shaped container is adorned around its rim with geometric patterns incised in a checkerboard pattern or in relief. The conical lid fits perfectly on top, surrounded by a braided edge, and remains connected to the head of the figure by a cord of plant-fiber origin so as not to be lost during rituals.
The internal organization (generally invisible from the outside): This type of box traditionally has two levels separated by a pierced plate, allowing a mouse to move between a lower chamber and the upper space.
2. Use and Function: The Art of Divination
Among the Baoulé, this object is not a domestic storage box, but one of the most respected and reputed divination instruments for its reliability, handled exclusively by a professional diviner (Gbekre-kofwe):
The role of the mouse: The mouse is considered the quintessential divinatory animal, as it lives underground and is in direct contact with the realm of the ancestors and the spirits of the bush (Asye Usu), holders of hidden truths.
The divinatory ritual: The diviner places a fasting mouse in the box. In the upper part, he arranges a series of small movable sticks of wood or bone (often attached to reptile skin) and coats them with millet flour. As it comes to eat, the mouse involuntarily moves these sticks.
Interpretation: Once the meal is finished, the diviner opens the lid and interprets the new arrangement or combination of the sticks (the geometric order left by the animal) to answer the clients’ questions about the future, illness, theft, or a family conflict.
This 22 cm piece is a Baoulé-origin mouse oracle box (Ivory Coast). Used by ritual diviners, it served to predict the future and resolve community crises by enclosing a mouse whose movements of the sacred little sticks during its meal were interpreted as direct messages sent by the ancestors and the earth spirits.
The parcels are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak English
Mask African art, African mask art, 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, metal and cord
Height: 220mm
Width: 165mm
Depth: 245mm
Weight: 2360g
Fine crack on the right side, see photos
This wooden box carved to 22 cm in height possesses the unmistakable characteristics of ritual objects of the Baoulé people (central Ivory Coast region).
More specifically, it is a famous oracle mouse receptacle (called Gbékré or Ile boki).
1. Stylistic Characteristics and Description
The piece testifies to the technical refinement and balance characteristic of Baoulé art:
The leaning figure: An anthropomorphic figure (sometimes tinged with simian features evoking the bush spirit Mbotumbo) is carved on the side of the jar. It is depicted in a classic posture of contemplation or deference, with hands brought to the chin or knees. The hairstyle is finely carved with neatly parallel grooves.
The jar and its lid: The bulbous-shaped container is adorned around its rim with geometric patterns incised in a checkerboard pattern or in relief. The conical lid fits perfectly on top, surrounded by a braided edge, and remains connected to the head of the figure by a cord of plant-fiber origin so as not to be lost during rituals.
The internal organization (generally invisible from the outside): This type of box traditionally has two levels separated by a pierced plate, allowing a mouse to move between a lower chamber and the upper space.
2. Use and Function: The Art of Divination
Among the Baoulé, this object is not a domestic storage box, but one of the most respected and reputed divination instruments for its reliability, handled exclusively by a professional diviner (Gbekre-kofwe):
The role of the mouse: The mouse is considered the quintessential divinatory animal, as it lives underground and is in direct contact with the realm of the ancestors and the spirits of the bush (Asye Usu), holders of hidden truths.
The divinatory ritual: The diviner places a fasting mouse in the box. In the upper part, he arranges a series of small movable sticks of wood or bone (often attached to reptile skin) and coats them with millet flour. As it comes to eat, the mouse involuntarily moves these sticks.
Interpretation: Once the meal is finished, the diviner opens the lid and interprets the new arrangement or combination of the sticks (the geometric order left by the animal) to answer the clients’ questions about the future, illness, theft, or a family conflict.
This 22 cm piece is a Baoulé-origin mouse oracle box (Ivory Coast). Used by ritual diviners, it served to predict the future and resolve community crises by enclosing a mouse whose movements of the sacred little sticks during its meal were interpreted as direct messages sent by the ancestors and the earth spirits.
The parcels are shipped from Monday to Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo International.
We speak English
Mask African art, African mask art, 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 / cordalette
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
