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This is the rating and price for Tutsi Lidded Tight Weave Basket, Mid 20th Century



Description : The Tutsi excel in producing these beautiful miniature lidded baskets, which become symbols of the Tutsi culture. These baskets called Agaseki were made from vegetable fibers of sisal and papyrus trees (Nigwegwe). The grasses of these trees were soaked in the water for almost two weeks to make them soft. Then they were beaten with stones and dried. , Earlier examples like this were made of the natural pale gold color of the fibers decorated with the patterns in black which came from boiling the root and seeds of the Urukamgi plant or the banana flowers. Recent examples incorporate imported dyes including red, green, orange, and mauves. The range of the patterns is unlimited and shows the creativity of women from Rwanda and Burundi. Many of these designs have specific names. These baskets were served as containers to transport valued foods such as eggs, milk, beans, meat, and other valuable objects. They were presented as wedding gifts to a bride and groom. They were also used as decoration. After the genocide of 1994, the miniature baskets have became symbols of peace, as Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa women sit side by side to weave the “peace baskets”. They have new designs and are more colorful compare to these earlier examples. Also, the straw used for these new baskets is thicker than the traditional ones. For similar pieces see AFRICA. THE ART OF CONTINENT, p. 158, figs. 2.44a. See also COLLECTION MARC AND DENYSE GINZBERG, Sotheby's, Paris, 10 Septembre 2007, fig. 125, p. 201 FURTHER READINGS:Kathleen Margaret Trowell. Tribal Crafts of Uganda. London: Oxford University Press, 1953 Georges Celis. The Decorative Arts in Rwanda and Burundi in African Arts 4(1), 1970:40-42 Margaret Carey, Five Miniature Baskets , In AFRICA. THE ART OF A CONTINENT, T. Phillips (ed.), pp. 158-59. Munich Prestel, 1995  ,
Price: 0.00 USD It's free to register now to view!
Estimate (low-high) : 750 USD-1000 USD It's free to register now to view!

About the lot N° 94754
Title : Tutsi Lidded Tight Weave Basket, Period : Mid 20th Century
Medium : Straw, vegetal fibers, dyes
Size : 8 inches tall x 4 inches diameter
Condition report : Good. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners.   Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.  We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings.  Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage. General wear.
Africa Direct, auctioneer, Denver, US It's free to register now to view!
Sale title : African Art, Carvings, Masks, Baskets and Beads
Sale date : 25 Sep 2015 It's free to register now to view!
Sale Reference : Live Sale

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