A Very Rare Old Luba Divination Sculpture, African Art
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Description
A VERY OLD CARVED WOODEN "NKISHI" SCULPTURE FROM THE LUBA PEOPLES OF THE CONGO, AFRICA. MEASURES 20 INCHES TALL ( 21.5 INCHES ON PROFESSIONAL CUSTOM DISPLAY STAND) PLEASE NOTE THE DEEPLY PATINATED SURFACE , ESPECIALLY ON THE NECK , EVIDENCE OF YEARS OF TRADITIONAL RITUAL USE. This is an early 20th century example of a NKISHI , a ceremonial fetish at the center of a possession and divination cult that was called upon for solving individual as well as collective ailments. Such objects were so central to the divination practice that aspiring trance diviners would have to either commission or inherit the objects required by their particular spirit before they could begin to practice. Diviners and healers use an array of nkishi (sculpted human figures) for particular problems and purposes: some provide general protection; some catch thieves; others help retrieve lost articles. The Diviner would entice a spirit to inhabit the figure and endows it with extraordinary powers, so that it can assist the diviner in his or her attempts to change the world for the better.
Condition
Fair, well handled and worn, old weathering and decay
Buyer's Premium
- 18%
A Very Rare Old Luba Divination Sculpture, African Art
Estimate $2,000 - $3,000
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Item located in BRIGANTINE, NJ, usSee Policy for Shipping
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