$1,402.50
In stock
West Africa, southern Nigeria, Benin Kingdom, Edo peoples, ca. 19th century CE. A beautiful and antique wood Oba staff that was carried by a high status person and intended to memorialize an Oba (king). The slender form is hand-carved with royal symbolism to evoke ancestral connections and lineage: one tip is in the form of a crocodile or lizard, and the lower half of the shaft is an overlapping scale-like pattern. At the center is a simple human figure with arms upstretched, seemingly holding up the corkscrew upper half that is surmounted by an Oba. He holds one hand to his chin as if in deep thought and wears a rounded headdress on his head. This short staff or scepter was likely carried to convey authority and perfect for tapping on the ground to gain an audience’s attention when speaking. Size: 33.75″ L x 1″ Diameter (85.7 cm x 2.5 cm)
Condition: Abrasions and small losses to the lower crocodile tip. Nicks and other minor chips to the rest, but otherwise great condition. Dark patina throughout.
Provenance: private Eden, Wisconsin, USA collection; ex-Tribal Gatherings, Quakertown, Pennsylvania, USA, October 23, 2021, lot 30; ex-Poolos collection, Illinois, USA; ex-Michael Wyman Gallery, Illinois, USA; ex-Moses Malkin collection, New York, USA
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