Old grave marker/grinding stone - Niger - unknown tribe $1250.00
This is the reverse side of an old grinding stone on which are inscribed the words, loosely translated, in Arabic, "el hadj Abu Bakar, son of Awrah. God promised him a safe place in paradise," indicating that the stone originally served as a grave marker, between 700 and 1000 years ago. Click on the photo to see it as a grinding stone.

Old Dogon Ladder - Mali - Dogon $2000.00
These genuine, used sculptural objects are still commonly in use today by many people in the Dogon country of Mali. The longer ones are used to reach the roof of a house; the shorter ones to access thatch-topped adobe granaries. Many are also still in use among other tribal groups, including the Lobi of Ivory Coast and the Somba (or Tamberma) or Togo. We have these types as well. Those we carry are all among the most beautiful: the oldest, most used and with most patina. Some are free-standing, mounted on iron bases; some are un-mounted.

Old comb, mounted - Ghana - Ashanti $450.00
Overall mounted height 14 1/2". This comb incorporates, on the top, 2 opposed sankofa birds as well as an Ashanti stool.

Old heddle pulleys, mounted - Ivory Coast - Baule $600.00
The first of these genuine, old pulleys, incorporated into the design of the most common loom used all over West Africa, measures 8",mounted. Click on the photo to see another: 11 1/2" $750

Well pulleys - Niger - Tuareg $125.00
These are common, very old and used, pulleys from wells in the Sahara Desert of central Niger. The Tuareg and the Wodaabe shepherd their animals every other day to a well of this type to water their animals. These relatively sophisticated wells have been mostly built by the government although are maintained by the people who use them. The price above is for one pulley. We have many; not only these 3. No two are the same; these 3 show the degree to which they may vary. The price for a set of 3 is $300. Click on the photo to see what the wells look like in action.

Old fetish stand - Burkina Faso - Lobi $750.00
22" tall

Old mortars - Ivory Coast - unknown tribe $75.00
Click on the photo for another variation of these commonly used mortars. There are many variations.

Excavated spoon - Mali - Djenne Djeno $175.00

Old slingshot - Ivory Coast - Baule $150.00
This slingshot is 7", mounted on lucite. The slingshots are carried by young boys for hunting birds and bats in the forest, sources of protein in places where that is often scarce. However, dangers abound, such as snakes, dangerous insects, and the rare predator. The slings are made, usually, by the father of the boy (though more wealthy families will commission one from a professional carver.) The carvings are talismanic, meant to protect the boy. Most carvings are of deities or spirits, often woodland spirits, which are always female and often red. European nail polish is a favored source of the red color. Masks abound, sometimes with the entire costume used in dance. There is a feeling that the mask carvings function best as protectors if they are facing the source of danger, and "right-side up," rather than upside down. For that reason, a sling will very often have two masks, facing in opposite directions; two masks, one oriented up and one down, or both. There may be up to eight masks, "to cover all the bases". Other subjects for the carving enhance hunting power or the chances of success. These include guns (or many types), soldiers, Christian religious symbols, or powerful animals (elephants, etc.) Occasionally, unusual subjects such as soccer players or soccer trophies will appear. The variety is virtually endless. The sling portion is usually rubber cut from old inner tubes. It almost never survives the stress of transport or the dry climate here.

3 more old slingshots - Ivory Coast - Baule $150.00
This one is 10"; the second is 9". The third is 7". Each is the same price, $150.

Mouse oracle - Ivory Coast - Baule $500.00
16" tall. Many, if not all, African societies incorporate some means of divination into their daily lives. Most Africans believe it is not only possible and reasonable but indispensable to know the future impact of any decision taken in the present in order to determine its advisability. This is accomplished through many techniques; each tribe has its own. The Baule of Ivory Coast use the Gbekre, aka mouse oracle or mouse box, among other methodologies. Oral traditions among the people of the Baule region, including the Yaure and Guro, who may have initiated the practice of mouse divination, indicate that a long time ago mice could speak. As they commonly live in the ground in the forest surrounding the village mice are in close contact with the asye usu, the forest spirits, which see and know all and which, in turn, live closely to the ancestors. Divination experts, those with specialization in all spiritual matters, brought mice into the village to live in captivity. In many African societies animals are believed to have innate insight into the human experience. Specialists spend years in training: they learn to compensate the divinities and the oracle for the enlightenment it provides, to ensure that they will remain favorably disposed and they learn to prepare medications and to interpret a vocabulary of visual signs. There are several ways in which those signs may be generated. In all variations the mouse is placed in the lower chamber of the oracle. One variation is that corn kernels are placed in the upper chamber of the oracle and covered. A yes or no question is asked and if the mouse eats the corn in the time allotted, then the response to the question is affirmative. On the contrary the response is negative. In other variations, small sticks are placed in the upper chamber. The sticks are called gbekre nyma, "the eyes of the mice." Bird or bat bones have also been used. Corn or other food may be placed among the sticks or the sticks may be coated with flour. The oracle is covered and the mouse eats the food though its movements create a new pattern of the sticks which constitutes the sign to be interpreted. Some of the known stick positions include: "open path, favorable augury," "the consultant will receive a visit," "sickness," "death of a woman in the village," "successful labor," "unfavorable sign for a projected marriage," and "death of an individual in another village."

Tiny stool with Janus heads - Ivory Coast - Baule $150.00
7 1/2" tall

Man of Africa - Ghana - Ashanti $950.00
This is an extraordinary carved wood map of Africa featuring the likeness of the first president and Father of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. This was undoubtedly carved as an hommage to him sometime around the time of Ghanaian independence which occured in 1957. The words "Man of Africa" are etched to the left of the head and the words "Dr. Kwame Nkrumah" are etched in the base of the piece though they have been largely worn away over the years. The height is 31 1/2" and the width from the westernmost tip to the easternmost tip of the continent is 23 1/2".

Dogon chief staff - Mali - Dogon $5000.00
I bought this old staff in Bandiagara, the largest town in the Dogon region of Mali, after long and drawn-out negotiations with a Dogon chief. The object is surrounded by brass rings, one for every year of service as chief its bearer. There are 188 of them. This staff symbolizes the power of the chief. It measures 64" long.

Pestle - Togo - Tamberma $500.00
39 3/4" tall.

Bird top linguist staff - Ghana - Ashanti $3000.00
This 64 1/2" tall staff is refered by the Ashanti as a "linguist staff". He who bears it is the personal spokesman of the Asantehene, the King of the Ashanti people. Please click on the photo to see the full staff as well as a closeup of the staff. In addition to the top ornament the staff is composed of 3 sections.

Medicine pestles - Ivory Coast - Baule $49.00
These small pestles are used to grind medicinal and ritual ceremonial products. All are old and used. They measure from 2 3/4 to 5" in length, generally. We have a large variety of them.

wood slippers - Ivory Coast - Baule $900.00
These very old and very intricately carved wooden slippers would have been used by Baule royalty and would have been covered with gold leaf, at least the front part covering the toes. They are the full size of a foot, having actually been worn on ceremonial occasions. Please click on the image for another view of these very unusual objects. These are the only ones I have ever seen.