Lot 146B
**Originally Listed At $1200**
Central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Pende peoples, ca. mid 20th century CE. A handsome wooden adze handle, which once had a metal blade inserted into the opening in the mouth. The handle is made of smooth, stained dark wood, with a lizard carved along its back, looking towards two thin tubes mounted near the base. At the top, carved integrally, is a rounded human head dominated by a large crest that rises from the upper front of the head and swoops backwards like a horn. The eyes dominate the face, set inside very deep wells beneath large eyebrows. This signifies facial scarification, indicative of the social status of the individual portrayed. The nose is small, the mouth puckered, with thick lips. Small ears are on either side. Size: 3.3" W x 22" H (8.4 cm x 55.9 cm); 22.5" H (57.2 cm) on included custom stand.
The prestige adze is one of a class of items commonly made by the Pende and other nearby cultural groups: utilitarian tools transformed into ceremonial objects, never meant to be used for labor, but instead to demonstrate the power of their bearer. Similar scarification marks and headdress are known from Pende masks, and relate to hunting and leadership in the Pende community.
See a similar example at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/309871
Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection; ex-private Texas, USA collection
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#139083
- Condition: Light surface wear with faint scratches, otherwise in nice condition with rich patina. Thin natural fissures in wood on head. May have once had a blade in the mouth.
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