West Africa, Ivory Coast, ca. early 20th century CE. A hand carved wood heddle pulley in the form of a human head with a concave face and a high, meticulously incised coiffure typical of the Baule aesthetic. The face, neck, and torso are decorated with elaborate scarification along the forehead, neck, cheeks, and across the chest. An exceptional, well-carved example in classic Baule style. Wood block stand. Size: 2.375" W x 7.25" H (6 cm x 18.4 cm); 3.625" H (9.2 cm) with stand.

Cloth is woven in West Africa by men using a distinctive type of loom. Heddle pulleys are necessary to keep the warp threads separated and allow the shuttle to move back and forth. In many cultures, the pulleys are heavily decorated using geometric patterns, masks, and human head finials as we see in this example.

Provenance: Ex Private Chicago, IL collection

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#113902

Surface hairline to back of coiffure. Otherwise intact and excellent.