This is the rating and price for 19Th C. Ghana Akan 22K+ Gold Leaf Wood Figural Hairpin

Description : West Africa, Ghana, Akan, late 19th to early 20th century CE. A 22K+ gold foil (94.8% gold) covered hairpin of an elegant form featuring a janiform finial. Notice the identical back-to-back faces framed with ornate coiffures/headdresses atop a shared long neck. The form was finely carved and carefully embellished with gold leaf that was skillfully impressed with delicate facial features, wonderful striated sections adorning the coiffure/headdress, and horizontal rings around the 'neck'. A very special hair ornament, clearly intended for a person of import! Size: 5.375 H (13.7 cm), 6.125 H (15.6 cm) on included custom stand. Gold leaf quality: 94.8% gold, equivalent to over 22 karat gold. A description contextualizing a gold foil covered Baule figure (object number 2001-9-1, note the Akan introduced gold leafwork to the Baule) in the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art collection states, Among the Baule of Cote d'Ivoire, gold-covered wooden figures, fly whisk handles, sword hilts, knife handles, linguist staff finials, combs, hair pins and other objects, including non-functional gongs and strikers, lanterns, jugs, trumpets, rifles, hats and umbrellas, are prestige items owned by chiefs and individuals of high status. They are part of the family's inheritance and are linked to ancestral forces and the soul of the family. Gold-covered objects are placed on display at funerals, certain masquerade performances and ceremonies associated with leadership. Gold-leafing is a longstanding technique that scholars believe was introduced to the Baule from the Akan region of Ghana. To create gold-leaf a pellet of gold is meticulously hammered and turned on an anvil until forming a uniformly thin sheet. Once created, this gold leaf is carefully placed on a carved object and secured via an adhesive or tiny metal staples. Provenance: private Glendale, Arizona, USA collection, collected from 1970 to 2000 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. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #152377
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