Hidescraper, Zucano type – Gamo / Ethiopia – Wood, obsidian and resin (No reserve price)
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Current bid
€ 50
No reserve price
Expert
Selected by Dimitri André
Holds a postgraduate degree in African studies and 15 years experience in African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
 | €50 | |
|---|---|---|
 | €45 | |
| €40 | |
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Hidescraper, Zucano type – Gamo / Ethiopia – Wood, obsidian and resin; original and in good condition, with a custom metal display stand, origin Ethiopia, provenance collected in situ by the present owner.
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Description from the seller
Hidescraper, Zucano type – Gamo / Ethiopia – Wood, obsidian and resin
Details
Origin: Ethiopia
People: Gamo, or related Ethiopian group
Type: Hide scraper / Zucano type
Material(s): Wood, obsidian, natural resin
Height: 29.5 cm with stand
Period: mid-20th century or earlier
Provenance: Collected in situ by the present owner
Custom metal display stand: included
Description
A fine Ethiopian hide scraper of Zucano type, composed of a carved wooden handle with an obsidian working element set into a dark resinous mass.
Tools of this type were used in Ethiopia for the preparation of hides. The skin, usually cow or goat, was stretched before being worked with a stone blade, most often obsidian. This technique, using stone tools for skin preparation, survived in only a few regions of the world into the 20th century, including parts of Ethiopia.
This example is especially appealing for its strong sculptural form and extraordinary surface. The wooden handle has a warm reddish-brown patina, polished by long handling, while the lower working area is covered with a dark, crusty resinous surface. The contrast between the glossy wood, the black accretions and the retained obsidian insert gives the object a powerful visual presence.
The form is simple but striking: a tall open handle, carefully shaped for the hand, above a heavier working end where the cutting element is embedded. The object has a strong ethnographic character and clearly shows traces of repeated use.
A very attractive Ethiopian hide scraper, appreciated for its rare function, sculptural form, retained obsidian element, rich patina and strong field presence.
Condition
Good condition overall for an object of this type, with wear, abrasions, old cracks, small losses, resin accretions, surface irregularities and age-related marks consistent with use.
The obsidian element is partially preserved.
Beautiful old usage patina, crusty in places.
Mounted on a custom metal display stand.
Please refer to the photographs.
Included
The hide scraper and its custom metal display stand.
Seller's Story
For more than 30 years, I have collected African art with a focus on authenticity, symbolism, and refined craftsmanship.
Graduated as an engineer from École Centrale de Paris, I combine the rigor of my technical background with a lifelong passion for artistic expression and cultural heritage.
Founder of AS’ART (dedicated to contemporary handmade design) and Artifacts Gallery (devoted to ancient tribal art and ethnographic objects), I bring together two worlds: the vitality of today’s artisans and the timeless heritage of Africa’s past.
Every piece I present is chosen for its artistic quality, cultural significance, and emotional power.
Hidescraper, Zucano type – Gamo / Ethiopia – Wood, obsidian and resin
Details
Origin: Ethiopia
People: Gamo, or related Ethiopian group
Type: Hide scraper / Zucano type
Material(s): Wood, obsidian, natural resin
Height: 29.5 cm with stand
Period: mid-20th century or earlier
Provenance: Collected in situ by the present owner
Custom metal display stand: included
Description
A fine Ethiopian hide scraper of Zucano type, composed of a carved wooden handle with an obsidian working element set into a dark resinous mass.
Tools of this type were used in Ethiopia for the preparation of hides. The skin, usually cow or goat, was stretched before being worked with a stone blade, most often obsidian. This technique, using stone tools for skin preparation, survived in only a few regions of the world into the 20th century, including parts of Ethiopia.
This example is especially appealing for its strong sculptural form and extraordinary surface. The wooden handle has a warm reddish-brown patina, polished by long handling, while the lower working area is covered with a dark, crusty resinous surface. The contrast between the glossy wood, the black accretions and the retained obsidian insert gives the object a powerful visual presence.
The form is simple but striking: a tall open handle, carefully shaped for the hand, above a heavier working end where the cutting element is embedded. The object has a strong ethnographic character and clearly shows traces of repeated use.
A very attractive Ethiopian hide scraper, appreciated for its rare function, sculptural form, retained obsidian element, rich patina and strong field presence.
Condition
Good condition overall for an object of this type, with wear, abrasions, old cracks, small losses, resin accretions, surface irregularities and age-related marks consistent with use.
The obsidian element is partially preserved.
Beautiful old usage patina, crusty in places.
Mounted on a custom metal display stand.
Please refer to the photographs.
Included
The hide scraper and its custom metal display stand.
Seller's Story
For more than 30 years, I have collected African art with a focus on authenticity, symbolism, and refined craftsmanship.
Graduated as an engineer from École Centrale de Paris, I combine the rigor of my technical background with a lifelong passion for artistic expression and cultural heritage.
Founder of AS’ART (dedicated to contemporary handmade design) and Artifacts Gallery (devoted to ancient tribal art and ethnographic objects), I bring together two worlds: the vitality of today’s artisans and the timeless heritage of Africa’s past.
Every piece I present is chosen for its artistic quality, cultural significance, and emotional power.
Details
Sold with stand
Yes
Condition
Good condition
Title of artwork
Hidescraper, Zucano type – Gamo / Ethiopia – Wood, obsidian and resin
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
