**Originally Listed At $500**

Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Sepik River region, Chambri Lakes, Aibom, ca. early 20th century CE. This is a massive pottery fireplace bowl or gugumbe, with an ancestral face molded into the rim. The vessel rests on a rounded base that is not entirely stable- when used, the face rim would be tilted upward, and the base would be propped up with support stones. Fires were contained inside the vessel and most cooking was done inside the house - a fireproof clay section of the floor was built for resting the gugumbe on. The exterior walls are molded with low relief ridges, and the interior rim is lined with a jagged scallop lip, the raised undulating ridges encircle the entire circumference. The abstract visage gazes over the bowl - his hooked nose decorated with a septum ornament - this guardian likely protected the hearth. Smaller gugumbe were portable for canoes- the smoke keeping mosquitos at bay; however, this piece is over 2 feet in diameter and probably used in a home. Size: 27" Diameter x 15" H (68.6 cm x 38.1 cm)

Provenance: private San Francisco, California, USA collection, acquired 1970s to 2000s

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#174449

Repaired, break line radiating from rim to base. Chips and nicks to nigh pointed areas. Fading and flaking to pigments. Face is well preserved. Dark smoke patina and scorch marks from years of use!