African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art

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Lot 270
  • 270

A fine Yoruba ivory armlet

bidding is closed

Description

intricatly carved from a single ivory cylinder, divided into two registers with openwork figurative scenes, with three bands of bell-like attachments pending on linen threads; fine creamy patina with rests of black pigment.  

Provenance

Jacob Epstein, London
Carlo Monzino Collection

Exhibited

London, The Arts Council of Great Britain, The Epstein Collection of Primitive and Exotic Sculpture, March 25 - April 23, 1960
New York, The Center for African art, African Aesthetics: The Carlo Monzino Collection, May 7- September 7, 1986

Literature

Fagg 1960: number 91
Vogel 1986: 88, number 75
Bassani and McLeod 1989: 97, number 174

Catalogue Note

Parallels with Ijebu objects in a variety of mediums suggest an attribution of orgin in Ijebu in Nigeria, the artistic center. Compare the offered lot with bracelets from Ijebu in Dark (1973: ill. 14) and Fraser (in Fraser and Cole 1972: 274).