Yoruba, Nigeria: A divination pointer, ‘Iroke Ifa’, made of ivory, with a female figure in a kneeling position.
Yoruba, Nigeria: A divination pointer, ‘Iroke Ifa’, made of ivory, with a female figure in a kneeling position.
An ‘Iroke Ifa’ pointer, also called a ‘bell’. With a rod such as the present one, at the beginning of the ‘Ifa oracle’ of the Yoruba the soothsayer (‘Babalawo’) knocks on his divination board (‘Opon Ifa’) in order to summon the right god. He then sprinkles white wood powder on his board and throws sixteen cola nuts on it. After reading the oracle, the diviner uses the tapper, or pointer, to explain the position of the sixteen cola nuts on the divination tray to his client, who sits in front of him.
The present Iroke pointer is made of old ivory. The middle of the shaft features a woman holding her breasts and kneeling on a plinth with an all-round relief decoration. This very finely executed three-dimensional figure is carved out of the same material.
The ivory has a small crack near the top and an old patina darkened to a honey coloured shade.
Between c. 1900 and the first third of the 20th century; H: 28 cm. (ME) ASA
Provenance: German Private Collection.
Esperto: Prof. Erwin Melchardt
Prof. Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
26.05.2015 - 15:00
- Prezzo realizzato: **
-
EUR 1.125,-
- Stima:
-
EUR 1.600,- a EUR 2.000,-
Yoruba, Nigeria: A divination pointer, ‘Iroke Ifa’, made of ivory, with a female figure in a kneeling position.
An ‘Iroke Ifa’ pointer, also called a ‘bell’. With a rod such as the present one, at the beginning of the ‘Ifa oracle’ of the Yoruba the soothsayer (‘Babalawo’) knocks on his divination board (‘Opon Ifa’) in order to summon the right god. He then sprinkles white wood powder on his board and throws sixteen cola nuts on it. After reading the oracle, the diviner uses the tapper, or pointer, to explain the position of the sixteen cola nuts on the divination tray to his client, who sits in front of him.
The present Iroke pointer is made of old ivory. The middle of the shaft features a woman holding her breasts and kneeling on a plinth with an all-round relief decoration. This very finely executed three-dimensional figure is carved out of the same material.
The ivory has a small crack near the top and an old patina darkened to a honey coloured shade.
Between c. 1900 and the first third of the 20th century; H: 28 cm. (ME) ASA
Provenance: German Private Collection.
Esperto: Prof. Erwin Melchardt
Prof. Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
|
Hotline dell'acquirente
lun-ven: 10.00 - 17.00
kundendienst@dorotheum.at +43 1 515 60 200 |
| Asta: | Arte Tribale |
| Tipo d'asta: | Asta in sala |
| Data: | 26.05.2015 - 15:00 |
| Luogo dell'asta: | Wien | Palais Dorotheum |
| Esposizione: | 20.05. - 26.05.2015 |
** Prezzo d’acquisto comprensivo dei diritti d’asta acquirente e IVA
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