Ended

Native American & Tribal Art | Bonhams Skinner

1 June 2023 | starting at 12:00 EDT

This sale features objects from several private collections. The first is a large collection of African art from family collection of Daniel P. Biebuyck, the renowned anthropologist and scholar of Central African art. Included in the sale are two Lwalwa masks, a pair of Pende figures, Bembe and Yombe figures, Kuba cups and a drum, weapons, and Luba and Hemba figures, as well as South African material. Also offered is a collection of Plains Indian beadwork from the Dean Taylor collection, of Denver, Colorado, which includes moccasins, beaded bags, and knife sheaths. There is also a fine collection of early Southwest polychrome pottery from a private New York collection, featuring Hopi, Zuni, Acoma, and San Ildefonso examples. The sale also includes a good quantity of Southwest silver and turquoise jewellery as well as California baskets, Navajo textiles, and Hopi katsinas. Public Previews will be Held in our Boston Gallery May 26, 30, and 31st from 10:00am-5:00pm.

Live Auction

Skinner Boston

Print Results

Auction highlights

A South African neck rest ht. 5 3/8, wd. 7 in.. Sold for US$1,024 inc. premium

An Apsáalooke (Crow) beaded hide mirror bag lg. incl. fringe 24 1/2 in.. Sold for US$11,520 inc. premium

A Hopi katsina doll ht. 16 3/4 in.. Sold for US$1,408 inc. premium

A painted Pueblo buffalo hide shield dia. 17 in.. Sold for US$6,144 inc. premium

Three Diné (Navajo) silver and turquoise bracelets wd. 7/8, IC 5 1/4, with 7/8 gap, wd. 3/4, IC 5, with 1 1/8 gap, and wd. 7/8, IC 5, with 1 1/4 in. gap.. Sold for US$896 inc. premium

Native American & Tribal Art | Bonhams Skinner

Auction highlights

Lot gallery

1 — A New Guinea carved wood war trumpet ht. 27 1/2 in.

2 — A New Guinea suspension hook ht. 21 1/2 in.

3 — A New Guinea lime spatula and betel nut mortar lg. 17 1/2, and 3 3/4 in.

4 — Three Oceanic fish hooks lg. 4 1/8, 3 3/4, and 2 1/2 in.

5 — A Fijian hardwood dance club, kinikini lg. 40, wd. 9 in.

6 — A Fijian throwing club, ula lg. 14 3/4 in.

7 — A large Tokelau Island fishing tackle box, tuluma ht. 13, wd. 16 in.

8 — An Austral Islands carved wood paddle lg. 51 1/2 in.

9 — A Maori feather cloak 24 3/4 x 35 1/2 in.

10 — An Australian Aborigine wunda shield ht. 28 1/4, wd. 7 in.

11 — Three Indonesian betel nut containers ht. 2 1/2, 1 3/4, 2 1/2, lg. of beaded bands 16, 13, and 11 in.

12 — Three tribal masks ht. 12, wd. 7, ht. 9 1/8, wd. 6 3/4, and ht. 10, wd. 5 1/2 in.

13 — A Philippine carved wood maternity figure and Spoon ht. 10, and 6 1/4 in.

14 — A Bamana female figure ht. 22 in.

15 — A Dan Mankala game board lg. 25 1/4, ht. 6 3/4, wd. 5 1/4 in.

16 — A small Dan mask ht. 6 1/2, wd. 4 in.

17 — A Dan mask ht. 7 3/4, wd. 3 3/4 in.

18 — A Dan face mask ht. 8 1/2, wd. 5 1/4 in.

19 — A Dan/Guere mask ht. 11 1/4, wd. 7 in.

20 — Twenty Ashanti brass gold weights

21 — An Akan female figure ht. 11 1/2 in.

22 — A Fang knife ht. 13, wd. 14 1/2 in.

23 — A Yoruba bowl ht. 8 3/4, wd. 5 1/2 in.

24 — A male Yoruba figure ht. 11 1/2 in.

25 — An Ibibio painted female figure ht. 20 1/2 in.

26 — An Ekoi headdress ht. 16 3/4 in.

27 — A Tschokwe ceremonial scepter ht. 23 in.

28 — A Chokwe wood figure ht. 18 3/4 in.

29 — A Voania ceramic sculpture of a couple Voania de Muba ht. 20, wd. 10 in.

30 — A figural Congo staff lg. 39 in.

31 — A Congo neckrest ht. 5, wd. 5 1/4 in.

32 — A Teke power figure ht. 6 1/8 in.

33 — A Teke or Laali short sword lg. 18 3/4 in.

34 — A Kota or Ndzabi knife ht. 11 in.

35 — A Laali ceremonial axe ht. 16 1/2 in.

36 — A Mangbetu knife lg. 14 1/8 in.

37 — A Mangbetu stool ht. 7, wd. 10 in.

38 — A Suku cup ht. 4 1/2 in.

39 — A Kuba palm wine cup ht. 5 7/8 in.

40 — A Kuba wood cosmetic box ht. 1 7/8, wd. 10 1/4 in.

41 — A Kuba cup ht. 2 1/2, wd. 4 3/4 in.

42 — A Kuba whistle ht. 12 3/4 in.

43 — A Kusu/Kuba prestige sword and scabbard lg. 25 3/4 in.

44 — Three Lele divination implements lg. 10 1/2, 9 1/4, and 6 1/2 in.

45 — A Kuba drinking horn lg. 16 in.

46 — A Kuba drum ht. 29 in.

47 — A Pere figure ht. 15 in.

48 — A Yombe male figure ht. 22 1/4 in.

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Native American

Michael Evans

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Additional information

Auction information

Auction Viewings

Conditions of Sale

1 —
A New Guinea carved wood war trumpet
ht. 27 1/2 in.

2 —
A New Guinea suspension hook
ht. 21 1/2 in.

3 —
A New Guinea lime spatula and betel nut mortar
lg. 17 1/2, and 3 3/4 in.

4 —
Three Oceanic fish hooks
lg. 4 1/8, 3 3/4, and 2 1/2 in.

5 —
A Fijian hardwood dance club, kinikini
lg. 40, wd. 9 in.

6 —
A Fijian throwing club, ula
lg. 14 3/4 in.

7 —
A large Tokelau Island fishing tackle box, tuluma
ht. 13, wd. 16 in.

8 —
An Austral Islands carved wood paddle
lg. 51 1/2 in.

9 —
A Maori feather cloak
24 3/4 x 35 1/2 in.

10 —
An Australian Aborigine wunda shield
ht. 28 1/4, wd. 7 in.

11 —
Three Indonesian betel nut containers
ht. 2 1/2, 1 3/4, 2 1/2, lg. of beaded bands 16, 13, and 11 in.

12 —
Three tribal masks
ht. 12, wd. 7, ht. 9 1/8, wd. 6 3/4, and ht. 10, wd. 5 1/2 in.

13 —
A Philippine carved wood maternity figure and Spoon
ht. 10, and 6 1/4 in.

14 —
A Bamana female figure
ht. 22 in.

15 —
A Dan Mankala game board
lg. 25 1/4, ht. 6 3/4, wd. 5 1/4 in.

16 —
A small Dan mask
ht. 6 1/2, wd. 4 in.

17 —
A Dan mask
ht. 7 3/4, wd. 3 3/4 in.

18 —
A Dan face mask
ht. 8 1/2, wd. 5 1/4 in.

19 —
A Dan/Guere mask
ht. 11 1/4, wd. 7 in.

20 —
Twenty Ashanti brass gold weights

21 —
An Akan female figure
ht. 11 1/2 in.

22 —
A Fang knife
ht. 13, wd. 14 1/2 in.

23 —
A Yoruba bowl
ht. 8 3/4, wd. 5 1/2 in.

24 —
A male Yoruba figure
ht. 11 1/2 in.

25 —
An Ibibio painted female figure
ht. 20 1/2 in.

26 —
An Ekoi headdress
ht. 16 3/4 in.

27 —
A Tschokwe ceremonial scepter
ht. 23 in.

28 —
A Chokwe wood figure
ht. 18 3/4 in.

29 —
A Voania ceramic sculpture of a couple
Voania de Muba ht. 20, wd. 10 in.

30 —
A figural Congo staff
lg. 39 in.

31 —
A Congo neckrest
ht. 5, wd. 5 1/4 in.

32 —
A Teke power figure
ht. 6 1/8 in.

33 —
A Teke or Laali short sword
lg. 18 3/4 in.

34 —
A Kota or Ndzabi knife
ht. 11 in.

35 —
A Laali ceremonial axe
ht. 16 1/2 in.

36 —
A Mangbetu knife
lg. 14 1/8 in.

37 —
A Mangbetu stool
ht. 7, wd. 10 in.

38 —
A Suku cup
ht. 4 1/2 in.

39 —
A Kuba palm wine cup
ht. 5 7/8 in.

40 —
A Kuba wood cosmetic box
ht. 1 7/8, wd. 10 1/4 in.

41 —
A Kuba cup
ht. 2 1/2, wd. 4 3/4 in.

42 —
A Kuba whistle
ht. 12 3/4 in.

43 —
A Kusu/Kuba prestige sword and scabbard
lg. 25 3/4 in.

44 —
Three Lele divination implements
lg. 10 1/2, 9 1/4, and 6 1/2 in.

45 —
A Kuba drinking horn
lg. 16 in.

46 —
A Kuba drum
ht. 29 in.

47 —
A Pere figure
ht. 15 in.

48 —
A Yombe male figure
ht. 22 1/4 in.