Exceptional Sakalava/Veso spoon prestige of the west coast people of Madagascar. According to the governor Gustave Julien who devotes an article to the Malagasy spoons in 1922, the handle ending in a fish tail designates « the Veso people of the sea » This handle is then extended by a delicately sculpted crocodile in high relief in the middle of devouring a mother protecting her child.

HT 19 cm Late XIXth, very good state, Eugene Bettra base

 This type of spoon belonged :

To the ceremonial material of a high ranking practitioner, and was only revealed to the eye on very rare occasions, circumcision, burial. At the ceremony’s opening, a water and plants decoction with a magico-religious purpose is prepared. The beverage is then distributed to the audience and the spoon goes from mouth to mouth like a chalice

3Arts anciens de Madagascar- Bertrand Goy, 2015

Origin : colonial collection France

Exposition : parcours des mondes 2018

Publication : Olivier Larroque 2018, Fig. N° 98