Lot 48
  • 48

Akan Head from a Clan Vessel, Ghana

Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 USD
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Description

  • terracotta
  • Height: 8 1/2 in (21.6 cm)

Provenance

Emil J. Arnold, New York, 1960s
Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C., acquired from the above by 1970
Merton D. Simpson, New York
Allan Stone, New York

Exhibited

Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C., exhibition of donations from the Emil J. Arnold Collection of African art, January 1970

Literature

Delmar Lipp, "African Art - 'Classic' or 'Primitive'?", The National Observer, January 26, 1970, p. 26 

Condition

Good condition for an object of this age and type. Truncated below neck as shown in catalogue illustration. Hole to proper right side of the head above ear. Proper right ear and nostrils filled with dirt. Minor marks, nicks, scratches, abrasions and small chips. Shallow chip to proper right upper eyelid. Fine aged patina with encrustation of reddish dirt.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

The offered lot would have surmounted the lid of an Akan clan vessel. For a complete lid by the same artist in the Musée Dapper, Paris (inv. no. "5560") see LaGamma (2011: 81, fig. 65). Compared to this work, the head from the Allan Stone Collection is superior in its exceptional state of surface preservation.