Brass chief figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $750.00
5" tall, ca. 1966, from Ouelikoro

Old colonial figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $1800.00
"Colonial" figures are spirit mates in the form of Europeans. The Baule people believe that an invisible universe exists parallel to ours, in which every person on earth has a mate, ascribed to him or her automatically within that spiritual realm. It is that world of the spirits that controls all life on earth. So when any individual has any kind of problem, be it psychological, physical, social (i.e., a conflict with another person) it can be resolved within the spirit world. The conduit through which humans communicate with that world is the spirt mate of that person. The first time a person has such a problem he or she might visit the tribal healer who will suggest that the suffering person elicit the help of a carver to create a representation of the mate that person has in the spirit world. This gives the person the ability to relate more personally and directly to that spirit mate. When the women, in the cases of these 3 figures, described their other-world mates to the carver to embody them, they revealed their ideal mates as manifesting these European characteristics. This figure is from Boganda, 14 1/2" tall, circa 1950. Note the small gold bead around the neck of this figure. Such gold pieces are often used to adorn objects of spiritual value in order to increase their usefulness, their power. Please click on this photo to see other views of this extraordinary and genuine object. Please see below for a closeup view of the face of this very beautiful figure.

Fetish figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $300.00
12 1/2" long

Small old Baule knife - Ivory Coast - Baule $250.00
With old spiny oyster shell sheath

Old Baule passport masks - Ivory Coast - Baule $275.00
The overall height of this piece is 7". The term "passport" has been given to these small, personal masks which are the property of an individual signifying his membership in a tribal secret society. Each is genuine, having been made for and used by that person, not for sale. Click on the photo to see 2 more passport masks. The second one is 6" overall ($225.), the third 4" ($150.)

Old brass elephant fetish pendant - Ivory Coast - Baule $395.00
6" long, 3 1/2" tall. Genuine, not made for sale.

Divination gong - Ivory Coast - Baule $750.00
14 1/2" tall. Click on the photo for a closeup of the top. The other side of the top has a mask almost identical to the side shown.

Wedding spoons - Ivory Coast - Baule $1800.00
The male spoon, mounted is 10 1/2" tall, circa 1965, from Ndolikoro. Couples getting married drink from these spoons not only to profess their loyalty to one another but to prove their faithfulness. If one or the other is not truthful in his or her love, drinking from these spoons will reveal that. The price is for the pair.

Baule spirit wife - Ivory Coast - Baule $500.00
This is a beautiful, old, mounted piece.

Baule gold bead necklace - Ivory Coast - Baule $20000.00

Baule gold bead necklace - Ivory Coast - Baule $12500.00

3 more old colonial figures - Ivory Coast - Baule $1250.00
This figure is 15" tall and dates to about 1915 from the village of Sakasso. Please click on the image to see 2 more. The second one is from Dembokoro, 11 1/2" tall, circa 1900. The price is $900. The third figure is from Kakaba, 12 1/2", circa 1930, $1,250.

Crocodile and lizard motif disk beads - Ivory Coast - Baule $95.00
The price is per gram. This is the price for all of our gold beads, whatever their size. The figurative pieces are not priced by weight, rather by their design, quality of execution, etc. Please contact us for specific bead weights and prices.

Old forest spirit couple - Ivory Coast - Baule $4000.00
Circa 1890, 11" and 12" tall, from the village of Beoumi. Click on the photo for more views.

Baule brass beads - Ivory Coast - Baule $250.00
The larger beads in this strand measure 2 1/4" in diameter; the smaller ones 7/8".

Old fetish - Ivory Coast - Baule $5950.00
My supplier in Ivory Coast told me this figure is from the village of Guirilan and dates to circa 1900. The distinguished professor of Art History and renowned African art expert, Roy Sieber, personally authenticated this statue for me just 5 months before he passed away. However, Roy doubts it is as old as my supplier told me it is. It is 18" tall. Click photo for a closeup.

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

Spindle whorls - Ivory Coast - Baule $450.00
The price quoted above is for a strand of the large old Baule spindle whorls from Ivory Coast (on the left). The excellent quality reproductions of Dogon spindle whorls from Mali (on the right)are $150. per strand

Old detailed design pipe - Ivory Coast - Baule $1450.00
7" long, from Ouelikoro, ca. 1966. I bought this piece together with the seated chief figure and the seated mother and child of the same origin. The dealer from whom I bought these had obtained them all together from a single owner.

Old goldweights - all types - Ivory Coast - Baule $50.00
Geometric were used for centuries to weigh gold and are all at least 100 years old since the practice of using gold as a common unit of exchange ended about 100 years ago. Please click on the image to view two more photos and two more types of old goldweights. The second photo shows a group of assorted goldweights, all $25 each. These are more ordinary in shape but have specific weights and were as useful as the more intricate weights. The third photo shows two shield figurative goldweights, both priced at $175 each.

Divination gong - Ivory Coast - Baule $950.00
22" tall. Click on the photo for a closeup of the top.

Fetish figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $175.00
6" tall. Genuine.

Mother and child - Ivory Coast - Baule $1750.00
8 " tall

Old drummer figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $450.00
From the village of Ganada, circa 1985, 7" tall

brass elephant goldweight pendant - Ivory Coast - Baule $200.00
1 1/2 x 1". This genuine, old and used object was used as a counterweight in the gold trade and was configured when made as a pendant for easy of portability.

Small crocodile pendant - Ivory Coast - Baule $5000.00

Full size door - Ivory Coast - Baule $1500.00
This is a beautiful reproduction.

Old mask - Ivory Coast - Baule $1750.00
This mask is from Beoumi, circa 1982. The overall mounted height is 19"; the mask itself is 11" tall. Click the photo to see a full view of the mounted piece.

Old mask fragment from Afare - Ivory Coast - Baule $2950.00
11 1/2" overall mounted height; the mask is 9 1/2" tall. Circa 1840. This mask was authenticated by the late, renowned African art authority, Roy Sieber, just 5 months prior to his death in 2001. Although Dr. Sieber confirmed its authenticity he did not verify its age. My supplier in Africa claimed it was this old but Dr. Sieber believes it is probably 100 years newer.

Elephant fetish figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $400.00
10 x 6"

Authentic wari game - Ivory Coast - Baule $2500.00
20 1/2 x 9 1/2 x 7". Please click on the image for 2 more views of this extraordinary, authentic game which was used tribally for many years before anyone ever considered selling it. This piece is of exceptional quality.

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."

Male figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $450.00
18"

Small male figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $1250.00
10" tall, circa 1910, from the village of Ndodelikoro. Please click photo for a closeup

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

Small male figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $1750.00
13" tall, from Lepe, circa 1910. Click on photo for closeup.

Primitive motif mother with 2 children - Ivory Coast - Baule $600.00
Unlike many more realistic versions this is an unusually stylized, often called "primitive", rendition of this imagery ubiquitous among African tribal cultures. This measures 19" tall

Turtle eagle proverb figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $495.00
Africans have a plethora of proverbs. It is common for an artist of any medium to incorporate any of those proverbs in his art. The eagle represents power or a powerful person. The turtle represents the common people. The proverb essentially says that each has qualities which give it value, that they are equal. The eagle cannot hurt the shell of the turtle. This is a genuine object, carved in great detail. It would have been covered with gold leaf and the gold either removed before it was sold or it wore off, or a combination of both. It measures 8 1/2" tall.

Children in Bouake - Ivory Coast - Baule

New brass elephant fetish figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $95.00
7" long x 4" tall. Reproduction. Click on the image to see 2 smaller versions of this type of item, the small one measures 3 1/2" long x 2" tall, $65. and the smallest one is 1 3/4 x 1 1/2", $45.

Naked male goldweight - Ivory Coast - Baule $300.00
2" tall. Erotic themes are expressed in every medium of African art, including the accessories used in commerce. This is a genuine goldweight, having been made exclusively for use by Africans and used for a long time by the intended recipients. It was not made for sale. Please click on the image for another view of this fine piece.

Old head pipe - Ivory Coast - Baule $200.00
This well patinated old pipe measures 4" long.

Old wood bowl pipe - Ivory Coast - Baule $125.00
This pipe is 6" long.

Tall seated mother with 2 children - Ivory Coast - Baule $1000.00
30" tall. Please click on the photo to see the child holding on to his mother.

Seated mother with one child - Ivory Coast - Baule $750.00
20" tall.

Brass mask pendant - Ivory Coast - Baule $250.00
4 1/4 x 2 3/4"

Young man in Bouake where I buy some art - Ivory Coast - Baule

Girls in Bouake - Ivory Coast - Baule
Please click on the photo for more cute kids.

Wood carver in Bouake - Ivory Coast - Baule

Single chameleon fetish figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $150.00
9 1/2" long

long old bone beads - Ivory Coast - Baule $20.00
These fine old narrow bone beads are about 4 1/4" long.

Madame Houphouet Boigny sign - Ivory Coast - Baule $250.00
This sign was painted by a student at the Center for Artistic Painting in Ivory Coast. It features the wife of the president of Ivory Coast at the time, Felix Houphouet Boigny. It measures 17 x 18".

Brass elephant figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $145.00
9" tall.

Old wood turtle fetish - Ivory Coast - Baule $345.00
15 1/2" long.

Second old colonial figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $1800.00
This figure is from the village of Boganda, 10 1/2" tall, circa 1950. Please see the explanation included in the item entitled "old colonial figure", above. Please click on the image to see 2 more views of this great old object. Please see a closeup of the face of this figure at the bottom of this page by clicking on the image entitled "Closeups of the faces of 3 Baule colonial figures".

Beautifully detailed authentic elephant wari - Ivory Coast - Baule $1950.00
19 x 7 1/5 x 8". Please click on the image for 2 more views of this great object.

Closeups of the faces of 3 Baule colonial figures - Ivory Coast - Baule $1800.00
These are closeups of 3 of the Baule colonial figures found above, on this page.

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.

Small mask image stool - Ivory Coast - Baule $1200.00
This old authentic stool is an unusual carved artifact. 10 1/2" height, 10 1/2" diameter. Please click for another view.

Akan style stool - Ivory Coast - Baule $750.00
14 1/2 x 8 1/2 x 12 1/4" tall. Please click for another view.

Cocoon top crown ring - Ivory Coast - Baule $3950.00
This royal Baule ring bears a representation of a crown, topped by what appears to be a tiny bundle of sticks. That "bundle of sticks" represents, in fact, a cocoon of a type found commonly in Africa (though I do not know its species). The ring is a reference to a proverb which, loosely translated, says that it is a mystery whether a caterpillar builds its cocoon around itself or if it builds the cocoon and then gets in it. The significance is that there is a certain amount of mystery necessary to being a king, or a ruler of any kind. It is not necessary for everyone to understand all that a king understands. From another point of view, this serves also as a justification for his rule: if the king indeed has the knowledge which is a mystery to the public then it is his duty and right to be the king. The fact that the cocoon is on top of a crown reinforces the power of this symbolism.

3 bird ring - Ivory Coast - Baule $3950.00
Please click on the photo for 2 more views of this fine old Baule royal ring.

Square pendant with 2 masks - Ivory Coast - Baule $7500.00
2 1/8 x 1 3/4" (5.3 x 4.4 cm)

Long-haired Baule mask pendant - Ivory Coast - Baule $7000.00
2 1/2" tall (6 cm)

Fine detail mask pendant - Ivory Coast - Baule $7500.00
2 1/2" tall (6 cm)

Round repousse crocodile bead - Ivory Coast - Baule $7500.00
2 3/8 x 2 5/16" (6.1 x 5.8 cm)

Crescent shape mask pendant - Ivory Coast - Baule $7000.00
2 1/2" wide x 2 1/8" tall (6 x 5 cm)

Small Baule mask pendant - Ivory Coast - Baule $3000.00
1 1/8" tall (2.7 cm)

small ram figure - Ivory Coast - Baule $2950.00
1 1/2" long x 1 3/16" tall (3.6 x 2.9 cm) Please click on the image for 2 more views of this fine little figure.

Smooth mask pendant - Ivory Coast - Baule $7000.00
2 1/2" tall x 1 3/4" wide (6.3 x 4.4 cm) Please click on the image for 2 more views of this fine old pendant.