For tribes in Congo (Kuba, Suku, Yaka etc) such vessels, carefully carved in hard wood, belong less to the everyday objects and much more to the sphere of prestige, in accordance with the social rank of their owner. They are only used by dignitaries for the ceremonial drinking of palm wine.
1: Kuba (or Bakuba): A round palm wine vessel in the form of a woman’s head. Very naturalistic, carved from dark hard wood and dyed black. With a finely plaited coiffure - where the handle is incorporated in the carving, as well as with geometrical decorations if relief on the handle and on the upper rim. A tear on the left side of the head with an original repair (glued with black tree resin). Height: 21.5 cm, Diameter: 10 cm x 8.5 cm (top).
2: Kuba (or Bakuba): A round palm wine vessel, carved from hard, dark wood and dyed black. The vessel is upwards reduced in size and rests on three bent legs atop a round base plate. The outer side of the vessels is decorated all-round with geometric reliefs (jagged entwined band embellishments in 2 and 3 lines). The handle is carved out from the same piece. A tear with an old original repair (glued with black tree resin and held together by a string on top). Height: 16 cm; Diameter: 8 cm (top).
3: Suku: A small, typical palm wine vessel with two diametrically opposed pointed oval spouts. Carved from hard wood and dyed dark brown. On each of the two long sides lines in relief form a rhomboid, geometric motif. This type of vessels in the Suku tradition were only used by chiefs and high dignitaries for the ceremonial drinking of palm wine. Height: c. 7.5 cm, Length: 12 cm. All three palm wine vessels present a good ‘hand-worn’ usage patina on the exposed parts (handles and rims). First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austrian Collection.