A Tall carved wooden fetish figure with large gaping mouth and long fangs, heavily encrusted surface and shown holding a sword and rifle.Carved wood; 32" x 10" x 11 1/2"; Provenance: Michael Oliver, New York; Allan Stone Collection, New York (acquired from the above in January 1992) Ex Dr. Brian Healy Collection, NY.**According to Martha Ehrlich, PhD: The rough patination and attention to weapons, together with the weird, aggressive mouth make me see this figure as something associated with a witch-finding shrine, though I can't be completely sure. It looks like a sort of magical guardian to me. I would (VERY tentatively!) assign the figure to the Baule, Ivory Coast, mostly on the basis of the legs and base. The goop covering the figure may indicate that it is an asie usu forest spirit, since these are rough and usually have a sacrificial patina. The figure is in the guise of a hunter, carrying rifle and knife of some sort. His face, lean, with a nose that looks like that of a white man and a mouth with protruding, monster teeth and a beard, may be that of a "rough" forest spirit. There are monstrous aboya monkey figures as well, but these always hold up cups for small offerings. The figure is probably one-of-a-kind, made for some specific problem and use. Its spiraled headdress is unique in my experience, and my attribution is not sure at all.

Fair, heavily encrusted, small areas of decay