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a close up of a spoon with a handle on a white surface
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Maître Christophe HERBELIN

307 - Large ceremonial spoon with symbolic motif
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Estimate €400 - €700
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Description
Large ceremonial spoon with symbolic motif Hardwood with a brown and honey-coloured patina, showing numerous signs of age and wear – two small chips. Shira-Punu, Gabon. Height 37.1 – Width 11.8 cm The deep, ovoid bowl extends into a broad openwork motif with supple, elongated contours, forming a stylised vulva. Among the Punu and related peoples of southern Gabon, this feminine symbolism may be associated with fertility and the continuity of the lineage. Bibliography: Louis Perrois and Charlotte Grand-Dufay, *Punu*, 5 Continents Editions, Milan, 2008, pl. 61. A Punu-Lumbo spoon collected in Gabon by Louis Petit between 1876 and 1883, now held at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Caen (inv. 81.18.13), bears a resemblance to our specimen in the prominence given to feminine symbolism. Expert: Mr Serge REYNES
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Auction location
Auction time 10/14/2026 at 1:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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