GALERIE DE CHARTRES - GDC judiciaire - Mes GODY-BAUBAU, MAICHE, RIVIERE
545
-
AKAN, Ghana/Ivory Coast.
See original version (French)
545
-
AKAN, Ghana/Ivory Coast.
See original version (French)
Estimate €100 - €200
Voluntary lot
Description
AKAN, Ghana/Ivory Coast.
A set comprising thirty-seven copper-alloy weights for weighing gold, combining geometric shapes and figurative representations associated with Akan proverbs
This collection of Akan weights invites us to rediscover the history of these weights, which were used to weigh gold dust during commercial transactions.
From geometric weights to proverb weights, we examine their material composition and explore their meanings.
Among the Akan-speaking communities of the Gold Coast – which today corresponds to Ghana and part of Côte d’Ivoire – gold was the region’s main currency from the 15th to the early 20th century.
The instruments used in the gold trade were mainly cast from copper or brass alloys using the lost-wax casting technique.
These included boxes for storing gold dust, scales for weighing, spoons and, above all, geometric weights used as counterweights for weighing gold, as well as figurative weights that refer to the daily life, proverbs and stories of the Akan people.
From 1889 onwards, in an attempt to gain greater control over the region, the British colonial government set about replacing the gold-based currency with the pound sterling.
With the decline of gold as legal tender, the Akan weights became obsolete as monetary instruments, but have remained a testament to Akan cultural heritage.
Expert: NJIENSI Christian Hervé
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale
MODERN PAINTINGS – 20TH-CENTURY DECORATIVE ARTS – ARCHAEOLOGY – ASIAN ARTS – AFRICAN ARTS
Auction location
Auction time
10/18/2026 at 2:00 PM
Ref. : F0542 - 5
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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