Beautiful and rare arched pipe Kuba from Zaïre, prestige items

HT 50 cm, XIXth pristine condition, beautiful brown patina slightly crusty in some places

Sheath decoration typical of Kuba detailing realized with extreme finesse, lower part in high relief, the sculpted arched part of an antelope head with long horns, 

symbol of prestige and power.

The slightly flared higher part, adorned with fine carving holds before the bone tube, a Phila disk, symbolizing the sun, decoration that may be found on royal seats, the bone shaft follows the same arch as the pipe.

Those pipes were reserved for kings, and high ranked notables ;

Bibliography : ANIMAL, édition Musée Dapper 2007, page 341 for a pipe of the same artist with the same decorations, : antelope, sun, etc.

To see for an arched pipe from what may be the same artist : Musée d’ethnographie de Genève Inventaire ETHAF 042483, pipe arquée Kuba XIXème.

Old private French collection