This is the rating and price for Early 20Th C. Baule Wood Blolo Bian Figure, 2012

Description : West Africa, Cote d'Ivoire, Baule peoples, ca. early 20th century CE. A fabulous carved wooden standing figure known as a blolo bian (literally spirit husband). This example boasts a slender body with ritual scarification marks, arms held to hips, delineated legs atop an integral rectangular plinth, and a stocky neck. The visage is composed of semicircular eyes, a narrow nose with flared nostrils, full lips curled into a slight smile, and a bulbous forehead, with dozens of additional ritual scarification marks detailing the face beneath an incised, crested coiffure. Fabulous dark-brown patina envelops the entire composition and makes this an attractive example from the Ivory Coast! Size: 3.75 L x 3.25 W x 15.5 H (9.5 cm x 8.3 cm x 39.4 cm), 16.75 H (42.5 cm) on included custom stand. Figures like this example are known as blolo bian - an ancestral dream husband sculpture that would be placed in the home, looked after and attentively cared for, as such special figures are believed to act as a medium between the living and spiritual realms. Male blolo bian figures - as well as their female counterparts known as blolo bla (literally dream wife) - are also called dream lovers because they are believed to visit the living in their dreams and may serve as an oracle who can predict the future or act as a lover in one's dreams. A stylistically-similar example, of a slightly-larger size and with a hanging goatee, hammered for EUR 10,000 ($11,134.90) at Christie's, Paris Art Africain et Oceanien auction (sale 3521, December 11, 2012, lot 55): Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection, ex-Joan Oestreich collection, New York, USA 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. #147161
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Estimate (low-high) : 1800 USD-2500 USD It's free to register now to view!

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