West Africa, Burkina Faso or Ivory Coast, ca. mid to late 20th century CE. A cast brass pulley in the form of a stylized woman with a pronged torso and a spindle wheel that rotates freely on the horizontal rod. The body is decorated with low relief bands and incised lines, protruding breasts, and a slender neck with a face that just forward, with heavy lidded eyes, under hemispherical brows and dramatic crested coiffure and headdress. Heddle pulleys were used by the Senufo on narrow band looms to ease the movements of heddles - part of the looping mechanism of a loom. Although functional, they were often embellished to symbolize the skill of the weaver and were sometimes prominently displayed. Most were carved from wood, so a heavy brass type may have been purely for presentation rather than common use. Size: 8" L x 2.75" W (20.3 cm x 7 cm); 11" H (27.9 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: ex-private Bishop Family Trust collection, the Trust of the late Bill Bishop, a noted antiquarian with shops in Scottsdale, Arizona and Allenspark, Colorado, USA, acquired before 2010

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#173599

Minor nicks and casting imperfections. Green and black patina. Loop added and welded to head for display purposes.