Baule style Divination figure with Crotal Bell - Mid 20th Century - Asye Usu - Baule - Côte d'Ivoire (No reserve price)
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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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Baule style Divination figure with a Crotal Bell from Côte d’Ivoire, an Asye Usu dating to the mid‑20th century, 22 cm tall including its display stand, mounted on a black wooden stand and made of wood with a bronze bell, provenance Private collection, authentic original in excellent condition.
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Description from the seller
An expressive and beautifully aged African portable ritual/divination figure, in the artistic traditions of the Baule ethnic group (Akan peoples, Côte d'Ivoire).
This compact sculpture (standing 17.5 cm high without its base) depicts a highly stylized anthropomorphic figure with simian-like traits. Within Baule culture, such figures are traditionally known as an "Asye Usu" (bush spirit) or associated with the "Mbotumbo" / "Mbra" power cult. The facial features are carved with traditional tools, showing distinct deep brow ridges, prominent prognathous jaws, and an overall raw, powerful expression that exemplifies authentic West African tribal art.
A unique feature of this object is the original spherical bronze crotal bell suspended from its neck by a traditional organic fiber cord. In tribal contexts, these bells were not decorative but functional—used by diviners (komien) to aurally summon ancestral spirits or forest entities during rituals.
The figure is mounted on a custom-made, black-stained museum-quality wooden display stand using two discrete metal pins under the feet, a mounting style highly typical for European gallery and mid-to-late 20th-century collections.
From a private collection.
Will be packed and shipped with utmost care.
Condition Report:
The wood shows an authentic, beautifully dry and eroded texture with fine, natural shrinkage cracks along the grain—clear indicators of significant age and natural weathering over several decades. The edges of the feet and torso are naturally smoothed and rounded from historic handling. The bronze bell displays a rich, uncleaned dark patina. No structural damage or modern alterations.
Specifications:
- Ethnic group / Tribe: Baule (Baoulé)
- Region of origin: Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Object type: Asye Usu / Mbotumbo Divination Figure
- Material: Wood, Bronze/Copper alloy, organic fiber
- Estimated Period: Mid-20th century (ca. 1940-1960)
- Total height including base: 22 cm
- Height of the wooden figure: 17.5 cm
- Base dimensions: 6 cm x 6 cm x 4.5 cm
An expressive and beautifully aged African portable ritual/divination figure, in the artistic traditions of the Baule ethnic group (Akan peoples, Côte d'Ivoire).
This compact sculpture (standing 17.5 cm high without its base) depicts a highly stylized anthropomorphic figure with simian-like traits. Within Baule culture, such figures are traditionally known as an "Asye Usu" (bush spirit) or associated with the "Mbotumbo" / "Mbra" power cult. The facial features are carved with traditional tools, showing distinct deep brow ridges, prominent prognathous jaws, and an overall raw, powerful expression that exemplifies authentic West African tribal art.
A unique feature of this object is the original spherical bronze crotal bell suspended from its neck by a traditional organic fiber cord. In tribal contexts, these bells were not decorative but functional—used by diviners (komien) to aurally summon ancestral spirits or forest entities during rituals.
The figure is mounted on a custom-made, black-stained museum-quality wooden display stand using two discrete metal pins under the feet, a mounting style highly typical for European gallery and mid-to-late 20th-century collections.
From a private collection.
Will be packed and shipped with utmost care.
Condition Report:
The wood shows an authentic, beautifully dry and eroded texture with fine, natural shrinkage cracks along the grain—clear indicators of significant age and natural weathering over several decades. The edges of the feet and torso are naturally smoothed and rounded from historic handling. The bronze bell displays a rich, uncleaned dark patina. No structural damage or modern alterations.
Specifications:
- Ethnic group / Tribe: Baule (Baoulé)
- Region of origin: Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Object type: Asye Usu / Mbotumbo Divination Figure
- Material: Wood, Bronze/Copper alloy, organic fiber
- Estimated Period: Mid-20th century (ca. 1940-1960)
- Total height including base: 22 cm
- Height of the wooden figure: 17.5 cm
- Base dimensions: 6 cm x 6 cm x 4.5 cm
Details
Indigenous object name
Asye Usu
Number of objects
1
Ethnic group/ culture
Baule
Country of Origin
Côte d'Ivoire
Period
Mid 20th century
Material
Bronze, Wood
Sold with stand
Yes
Condition
Excellent condition
Title of artwork
Baule style Divination figure with Crotal Bell - Mid 20th Century
Height
22.5 cm
Width
7 cm
Depth
7 cm
Weight
240 g
Provenance
Private collection
Authenticity
Original/official
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