This is the rating and price for 19Th C. African Luba Gourd & Wood Figural Rattle

Description : Central Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Luba, ca. late 19th to mid-20th century CE. A fascinating dried gourd rattle with a wooden figural handle for rituals, still filled with secret items or pebbles that emit sounds. The hand-carved wooden figure is a nude woman with elegant geometric scarification on her stomach repeated in the design pattern on her head. Her hands rest on her breasts, and her oversized head has large, stylized features that appear wizened by age, but also may indicate great wisdom. The handle is surmounted atop the hollow gourd with woven rattan fibers, dried clay, and chicken feathers decorating the base. Rattles were ceremonial for healing, divining, and Bugabo initiation rites- initiates would place secret and special items inside the gourd to create power- the woman figural handle represented womanly secrets. Size: 5 Diameter x 10.5 H (12.7 cm x 26.7 cm) Provenance: private San Francisco, California, USA collection, acquired 1970s to 2000s All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm. Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping. #170436
Price: 506.00 USD It's free to register now to view!
Estimate (low-high) : 800 USD-1200 USD It's free to register now to view!

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