A beautifully carved, large Ashanti comb known as Duafe, collected in Obuasi region, Ghana. On a stand with the handle of the comb carved with several geometric motifs. Mild signs of ritual use and age; in great condition. Incl stand. Ashanti or Asante combs, often called duafe in the Akan language, are carved wooden hair combs produced within Akan‑speaking societies, especially among the Asante of present‑day Ghana. These objects are not mere grooming tools but carry social, symbolic, aesthetic, and mnemonic roles in Akan culture. Historically, the Akan people invested everyday objects with verbal or proverbial meaning; the “verbal‑visual nexus,” as framed by Cole and Ross, underscores how many Akan artifacts carry both literal and proverbial references, interpretable by educated insiders (Cole & Ross 1977). In that light, duafe combs function as both personal adornments and carriers of layered messages. A typical duafe comb comprises a row of functional teeth, a central body often decorated with incised or openwork motifs, and a carved headpiece or finial at the top. The headpiece sometimes represents a stylized female bust with the disk‑shaped head characteristic of akua’ba fertility figures. In some examples the carved figure has arms or holds attributes. The iconography draws from Akan proverbs, Adinkra symbolism, and personal intentions conveyed by the giver (Met Museum catalogue, “Duafe (comb)”). The carved symbols might refer to virtues, marital hopes, fertility, mutual respect, or moral character. Duafe combs were commonly commissioned by admirers, kin, or husbands and presented to women on occasions such as puberty rites, marriage ceremonies, or childbirth (Michael Backman Ltd., “Ashanti Carved Wooden Comb (Duafe)”; Met Museum, “Duafe (comb)”). Their function is thus at once practical, ceremonial, and memorial. While some were used in organizing elaborate hairstyles (for example, the dansinkran coiffure), many were stored or displayed as keepsakes rather than daily combs (Agnes Etherington Art Centre, “Comb (Duafe)”). Some very elaborated examples even include articulated sections that drop outward to produce three‑dimensional effects, though such are rare (Michael Backman, “Unusual Ashanti Carved Wooden Articulated Comb (Duafe)”). In terms of material and technique, duafe combs are generally carved from single blocks of hardwood, with careful attention to symmetry, proportionality, and surface polish. The surfaces may be further incised, openworked, or sheathed in geometric patterning. The patina of many surviving combs testifies to handling over generations (Michael Backman, “Ashanti Carved Wooden Comb (Duafe)”). Museums hold examples that illustrate typological variation. A British Museum comb, dated 1887–1891, features openwork decoration and zoomorphic elements (British Museum, object Af1945,11.7). The Smithsonian holds a mid‑20th century Asante wood comb with a stylized female half‑figure topped by an akua’ba form (Smithsonian, object 72‑2‑6). The Menil Collection also includes a duafe comb of early to mid 20th century date from Ghana or Côte d’Ivoire (Menil, object 1974‑109 DJ). In curatorial or catalogue text, duafe combs are often contextualized as hybrid objects—between tool and sculpture, between adornment and gift, between intimate object and public display. The catalogue text usually describes form (dimensions, number of teeth, decorative zones, motifs), provenance (donor, collection history), condition (presence or loss of teeth, surface wear, restorations), and interpretive remarks about symbolism or use. One catalogue note may highlight that a comb “was carved in his honor and given to his wife to mark the birth of a child, invoking akua’ba symbolism in the finial.” Other notes may compare motif elements to regional styles or earlier published examples (for instance, referencing figure 81 in Cole & Ross 1977 for articulated combs). In more conversational descriptions (e.g. gallery websites), the comb is sometimes described as “a comb carved by a skilled hand, crowned by a female bust with a disk‑like head, echoing the akua’ba fertility figures and intended as a gift from a husband to his wife to underscore their desire for children” (Bruce Frank gallery, “Comb, Duafe”). Some dealer catalogues emphasize the comb’s display potential by noting its unusual size or the inclusion of figurative busts worthy of wall mounting (Tribal Gathering London, “Unusually‑Large Akan Comb (Duafe)”). Scholars emphasizing Akan arts often place duafe combs within broader discourses of material agency, gendered objects, and ornament as medium of social memory. Their layered meanings resist simplistic reading; to interpret a duafe is to enter Akan semiotic worlds where carved motif, personal relationship, and aesthetic refinement coalesce. References Cole, Herbert M., and Doran H. Ross. The Arts of Ghana. University of California, Museum of Cultural History, 1977. Michael Backman Ltd. “Ashanti Carved Wooden Comb (Duafe).” Michael Backman Ltd. “Unusual Ashanti Carved Wooden Articulated Comb (Duafe).” Met Museum. “Duafe (comb).” British Museum. Object Af1945,11.7. Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. Object 72‑2‑6. Menil Collection. Comb (Duafe), object 1974‑109 DJ. Bruce Frank Gallery. “Comb, Duafe.” Tribal Gathering London. “Unusually‑Large Akan Comb (Duafe).” CAB27936 Height: 32 cm without stand