Lot 287a, Auction 3/19/2026: West African Brass Altar Ring Anklet w/ Relief Faces

$520.00

In stock

West Africa, Nigeria / Burkina Faso / Ghana, ca. 18th to 19th century CE. A large cast brass anklet or altar ring of oval, boat-like form with thick bands and projecting relief faces. Small evenly spaced suspension lugs encircle the ring and may once have supported additional ornaments or attachments used during ceremonial display. Objects of this type served as powerful status items and ritual regalia, sometimes worn or presented during important events and also functioning as forms of wealth or prestige currency, while related cast-metal rings are widely known in the region as altar rings. The modeled faces likely represent rulers, ancestors, or protective spirits, reflecting the broader West African tradition in which brass casters adapted shared regional motifs into distinctive local forms. Size: 9″ L x 4.5″ W (22.9 cm x 11.4 cm)

Condition: Repaired from several large pieces with visible hairline fissures. Heavy earthen and mineral deposits and patina.

Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection; ex-major gallery, Beverly Hills, California, USA, primarily acquired between 1985 and 2005

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

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