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two wooden figures of a man and a womanpair of carved wooden figurines of a man and a womana close up of a wooden statue of a person with a hat ona close up of a statue of a person with a hat ona wooden statue of a man with a knife and a hata wooden statue of a man with a hat and a swordstatue of a man with a hat holding a knife in his right handan old wooden statue of a man with a bird on his shoulderan image of a statue of a man with a pipe in his mouthan old statue of a man holding a knife and a bagan old wooden statue of a man with a pipe in his moutha statue of a man holding a knife in his handa wooden statue of a man with a hat on his headan old wooden statue of a man sitting on top of a rocka wooden sculpture of a man sitting on a stoolan old wooden figure of a man sitting on a chairan old wooden statue of a man with a hat on his headan old wooden statue of a man holding a knife and a knife in his handa close up of a wooden sculpture of a person with a hat ona wooden statue of a woman with a hat on her heada wooden statue of a man with a knife in his handan old wooden sculpture of a man with a helmet ona close up of a wooden statue of a person with a hat onan image of a wooden sculpture of a mana wooden sculpture of a man with a knife and a hata wooden sculpture of a man with a hat on his heada wooden sculpture of a man with a goat head on his headan old wooden robot statue on display against a black backgrounda close up of a wooden sculpture of a person ' s head
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Estimate €3,000 - €5,000
Sale commission
Description
MBÉDÉ A pair of Mbédé (or Ambété) reliquaries belonging to warlords. From Tsama (near Okondja, Gabon). 20th century. Height: 77 cm. Two IR spectroscopy dating certificates (G. Matthaes patent) from the Museo d’Arte e Scienza, Milan, nos. 6AF-3667 and 6AF-3668, indicate the dates 1935 ± 8 years and 1940 ± 8 years. Semi-hard wood with a kaolin patina on the body. The headdress is stained black, a colour symbolising the material world. The body is stained with white kaolin, a colour symbolising the invisible world. The legs are stained red, a colour symbolising the life force. The dorsal cavity, which has never been opened, has retained its lid, secured by a wicker ligament (ondi). It contains fragments of bone (the tibia and clavicle, the weight-bearing bones of the skeleton) which are still present in the reliquary and visible on fluoroscopy (see X-rays supplied with the piece). Mortises carved into the eardrums bear witness to the use of these reliquaries as puppets during initiation ceremonies, where young initiates were taught the history of their clan. Provenance: Pierre Redouin Collection. Bibliography: Published in *Le Souffle des Esprits*, Les Éditions de l’Amateur, Pierre & Hadrien Redouin, 2012, p. 155. Description: These types of reliquaries were used in the worship of warrior-chief ancestors (ntsambi). They are adorned with ritual accessories. The male statue carries a bell surmounted by a bone held horizontally. The female statuette holds a bell in each arm as well as a bell on her abdomen. As is the case with Mbédé reliquaries, the teeth are made of iron tips. These reliquaries ensured the cohesion and prestige of the clan. The head of the family acted as their guardian. They were consulted on important decisions: migrations, marriages or the resolution of conflicts. During ceremonies, the statues were brought out of the chief’s hut and sometimes anointed with oil or red powder to reactivate their protective power.
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About the sale The Breath of the Spirits: The Collection of Pierre Redouin and Others
Auction location
Auction time 09/24/2026 at 2:30 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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