Cane - Wood - Yombe / Kongo
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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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Yombe/Kongo prestige staff carved with a dignitary figure astride a leopard, made of wood, Congo origin, 103 cm high, in good condition with age-related wear.
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Description from the seller
Chief's staff / Prestige cane with the figure of a dignitary astride a leopard – Yombe / Kongo Style
superb prestige cane (mvwala) from Central Africa, representative of the artistic corpus of the Yombe people (Kongo cultural group, Democratic Republic of the Congo / Republic of the Congo / Angola).
This dignitary's staff embodies the power and the spiritual and political authority of its holder.
Iconography & Stylistic Analysis
Pommel (Top): The upper part is crowned by a dignitary figure seated astride a feline (likely a leopard, the royal totem animal par excellence in Kongo lands, symbol of spiritual and earthly power).
Representation of the figure: The dignitary wears a striped cap (close to the traditional mpo headdress) and is dressed in an open vest/jacket signaling social rank and the influence of colonial/commercial contacts from the 19th to early 20th centuries. The facial features (almond-shaped eyes, broad and pronounced mouth) attest to a highly expressive rendering.
Shaft & Geometric Decor: The shaft is rhythmically set by a swollen octagonal-section ring and entirely engraved with a fine geometric network of quadrille/trellis diamonds, characteristic of Kongo/Yombe dignitary pieces.
Patina & Condition: The object shows a beautiful dark patina of use, satin-smooth at the grip areas. A desiccation crack (natural age crack of the wood) runs vertically through the ring and the central shaft (visible in detail photos), attesting to the wood's age. The lower end shows natural wear of the staff.
Height 103 cm
Tracked shipping with tracking assured
Carefully packed
Chief's staff / Prestige cane with the figure of a dignitary astride a leopard – Yombe / Kongo Style
superb prestige cane (mvwala) from Central Africa, representative of the artistic corpus of the Yombe people (Kongo cultural group, Democratic Republic of the Congo / Republic of the Congo / Angola).
This dignitary's staff embodies the power and the spiritual and political authority of its holder.
Iconography & Stylistic Analysis
Pommel (Top): The upper part is crowned by a dignitary figure seated astride a feline (likely a leopard, the royal totem animal par excellence in Kongo lands, symbol of spiritual and earthly power).
Representation of the figure: The dignitary wears a striped cap (close to the traditional mpo headdress) and is dressed in an open vest/jacket signaling social rank and the influence of colonial/commercial contacts from the 19th to early 20th centuries. The facial features (almond-shaped eyes, broad and pronounced mouth) attest to a highly expressive rendering.
Shaft & Geometric Decor: The shaft is rhythmically set by a swollen octagonal-section ring and entirely engraved with a fine geometric network of quadrille/trellis diamonds, characteristic of Kongo/Yombe dignitary pieces.
Patina & Condition: The object shows a beautiful dark patina of use, satin-smooth at the grip areas. A desiccation crack (natural age crack of the wood) runs vertically through the ring and the central shaft (visible in detail photos), attesting to the wood's age. The lower end shows natural wear of the staff.
Height 103 cm
Tracked shipping with tracking assured
Carefully packed
Details
Era
1900-2000
Title additional information
Yombe / Kongo
Country of origin
Congo
Material
Wood
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes
Height
103 cm
Width
0 cm
Depth
0 cm
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