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a bunch of sticks that are on a tablea basket full of balls and sticks on a tablea wooden basket with a bunch of wooden balls on ita wooden bench with a bunch of drums on top of it
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DE BAECQUE et Associés - Lyon

203 - Malinké/Bambara, Mali, mid-20th century.
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Estimate €180 - €300
Sale commission
Description
Malinké/Bambara, Mali, mid-20th century. A fine ‘bala’ collected in 1950 in Ségou, the historic capital of the Bambara kingdom. The instrument is complete and in perfect condition. The term ‘balafon’, which is often used, means ‘the one who makes the bala sound’, ‘bala’ being the name of the instrument. It features 13 tongues made of dense Guéni wood, renowned for its acoustic qualities. The bamboo frame supports the tongues and the calabashes, which act as resonators. The cigarette-paper ‘mirlitons’ create a warbling effect and prolong the sound. The scale is heptatonic. Guéni wood, bamboo, leather, hemp, calabashes. 85 cm x 46 cm x 17 cm This bala from the 1950s is a fine antique in excellent condition.
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About the sale MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Auction location
Auction time 10/08/2026 at 2:30 PM
Lot description modified on 09/26/2026 at 5:02 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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