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two wooden figurines of a man and a womantwo wooden figurines of a man and a woman, one holding an umbrellaa wooden statue of a man with a hat on his headan old wooden toy with a hat on it ' s head and legsa wooden statue of a man with a hat on his heada wooden sculpture of a man with a hat on his headan old wooden statue of a man with a helmet on his headan old wooden statue of a man with a bird on top of his heada close up of a metal object on a black backgroundan old wooden statue of a man with a hat on his heada close up of a vase on a table with a black backgroundan old wooden statue of a man with a helmet on his headan image of a sculpture of a man ' s head with a helmet on itstatue of a man holding a knife in his hand on a black backgrounda wooden sculpture of a man with a hat on his headan old rusted metal object with a chain around itan old wooden statue of a man standing on a black backgroundan old wooden statue of a man with a helmet and a chain around his neckan old, rusted, metal robot with a black backgrounda rusty robot that is sitting on top of a tablestatue of a man with a hat on his head holding a piece of wooda wooden statue of a man holding a microphonean old wooden statue of a man standing on a black backgrounda statue of a robot with a chain around it ' s necka wooden statue of a man with a helmet on it ' s headan image of a statue of a man with a hat onan old wooden sculpture of a person with a helmet onan old wooden statue of a man with a helmet on
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Estimate €4,000 - €6,000
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Description
MBÉDÉ A pair of Mbédé (or Ambété) reliquaries belonging to dignitaries. From Tsama (near Okondja, Gabon). 20th century. Height: 75 cm and 84 cm. Two IR spectroscopy dating certificates (G. Matthaes patent) from the Museo d’Arte e Scienza, Milan, nos. 6AF-3669 and 6AF-3670, indicate the dates 1945 ± 8 years; no. 6AF-3670: 1945 ± 8 years. Medium-weight wood. Kaolin patina (lempiémè) on the body. Red patina on the forehead (lekula). Hair dyed black. Height: 84 cm (female statue) and 76 cm (male statue). These reliquaries were used in the worship of ancestral lords, prominent figures, heads of lineages or clan chiefs (nkani). The cavity in the back, which has never been opened, contains bone fragments (tibia and clavicle, the weight-bearing bones of the skeleton) that are still present and visible on X-rays (see X-rays supplied with the piece). It has retained its door, which is secured by a wicker ligament (ondi). They are adorned with ritual accessories. The female statue wears necklaces with wooden and bone beads and a headdress embellished with brass nails. The male statue carries a bell. As is customary with Mbédé reliquaries, the teeth of each figure are made of iron spikes. They 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. Provenance: Pierre Redouin Collection. Bibliography: Published in *Le Souffle des Esprits*, Les Éditions de l’Amateur, Pierre & Hadrien Redouin, 2012, pp. 156–157. Description: The best-known examples of these rare statues, traditionally known as Ambété, were collected by Aristide Courtois, who lived in the region from 1913 to 1934, and sold to the antiquarian collector Charles Ratton before going their separate ways. In terms of their overall appearance—standing firmly on sturdy lower limbs and with the hands positioned slightly away from the torso—these sculptures bear much closer resemblance to the examples from the former Musée Dapper (listed under nos. 2846 and 2847 on Charles Ratton’s purchase list from Aristide Courtois) than to the example in the Barbier-Mueller Museum (from the Goldet collection and listed under no. 2843 on the same list), although the lower limbs—the sturdy calves tapering towards the ankles and the delicately rendered, obliquely positioned feet—curiously bring to mind the latter example.
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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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