A very fine old terracotta pipe with carved wooden stem from the Grasslands of Cameroon, west Africa. As a sign of social status and rank within the community, the Bamum, Bamileke, Bangwa and Tikar peoples possess ti pipes which are used to smoke tobacco during social gatherings, royal ceremonies and also whilst working on farms. The design, material and size of the ti pipe is used to highlight the social standing of the individual. This pipe is elaborately decorated with ancestral images and shows signs of field use and wear. The Pipe measures 23.5 inches long and has been professionally custom mounted to a display stand. Provenance: Ex estate of Sidney Berman, New York

Good, well used.