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An Akuaba fertility puppet, Ashanti, Ghana, South East region. Certificate of origin and provenance.

Akuaba fertility puppets are traditional wooden figures made by the Akan people of Ghana, especially among the Fante and Ashanti groups. These dolls are created to promote fertility and ensure the health and beauty of a child. Women who wish to conceive often carry these figures with them, treating them almost like real babies. They may bathe the doll, dress it, and care for it carefully, believing that this will help them become pregnant or have a healthy baby.

The design of akuaba dolls is highly stylized. They usually have a large, flat, or rounded head that is often disproportionate to the small, cylindrical body. The head is the most important part of the figure, symbolizing beauty and good health. Some dolls have features like high foreheads, neck rings, or scarification patterns that represent idealized traits. The figures often lack detailed facial features and limbs, focusing instead on simple, smooth shapes.

Besides their practical use, akuaba dolls hold spiritual significance. They are believed to carry protective powers and can serve as a link between the living and the spiritual world, particularly ancestors. Once a woman has given birth, the doll may be returned to a shrine as an offering or kept as a reminder of the successful pregnancy.

Akuaba dolls are more than just fertility symbols; they embody cultural ideas about beauty, motherhood, and the continuation of family lines. They also show how art and spirituality are deeply connected in Akan society. The care given to the dolls reflects the importance of fertility and the hope for a healthy child, making them powerful objects within the social and religious life of the community.

Wood - Fair condition

Akuaba - Ghana  (No Reserve Price)

African & Tribal Art

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Closing date

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Friday

tomorrow

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4 February

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Location

France

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United Kingdom

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Dimensions

Height

Width

Depth

Object

Tribal art and objects

Tribal sculptures statues carvings and figurines

Tribal masks

Figure

Tribal weaponry and shields

Dagger

Dance mask

Mask

Sculpture

Book

Fetish figure

Tribal textiles and clothing

Figurehead

Catalogue

Statue

Tribal mask

Ancestor figure

Carving

Print

Head

Stool

Giclée

Comb

Reliquary

Country of origin

Mali

DR Congo

Nigeria

Côte d'Ivoire

Gabon

Cameroon

Ghana

Benin

Côte d’Ivoire

Burkina Faso

Togo

Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Africa

Angola

Ethiopia

South Africa

Niger

Morocco

Chad

Sudan

Kenya

Tanzania

Madagascar

Material

Wood

Bronze

Terracotta

Iron (wrought)

Stone

Copper

Leather

Bone

Iron (cast/wrought)

Steel

Brass

Iron (cast)

Aluminium

Metal

Iron

Soapstone

Canvas

Cotton

Horn

Patinated bronze

Shell

Clay

Earthenware

Wood (Ebony)

Steel (Damascus)

Condition

Good condition

Fair condition

Excellent condition

Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes

Good

Fair condition -  heavily used & with possibly minor parts missing

Excellent condition: barely used with minimal signs of wear

Very good

Needs restoration

Fair

Good condition, see description

Fair condition, see description

Good condition - used with small signs of ageing

As new

Poor

Mixed / Multiple

As new - unused

Good condition - used with some signs of wear

Period

Late 20th century

2000-2010

Mid 20th century

Early 20th century

1990-2000

1940-1950

Late 19th century

1950-1960

2020+

1980-1990

1910-1920

1930-1940

1960-1970

1970-1980

1920-1930

1900-1910

2010-2020

1850-1900

Mid 19th century

1800-1850

Early 19th century

Subject

Pop Culture

Erotica

Style

Contemporary

Antique

Folk Art

Art Deco

Pop Art

Modern

Technique

Digital print

Digital painting

Signature

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Hand signed

Plate signed

Signed

Binding

Softback

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Edition

1st Edition

Limited edition

Multiple Books / Editions

Language

French

English

Colour

Brown

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African & Tribal Art

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Akuaba - Ghana (No Reserve Price)

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