Héritage Galerie - Art Africain Traditionnel

Akan Ear Ornaments - €100.00

Pair of Bronze Ear Ornaments – Probably Lobi or Akan, West Africa

This antique pair of bronze (or brass) ear ornaments is most likely attributed to a West African culture, probably the Lobi or Akan peoples. Their distinctive spool-shaped design, formed by two circular discs connected by a short cylindrical neck, corresponds to ornaments traditionally worn in stretched earlobes.

Such ornaments were far more than decorative accessories. They reflected social identity, status, age, or cultural affiliation, while contributing to the rich traditions of body adornment practiced throughout West Africa.

Their attractive aged patina, combining warm golden-brown tones with natural green oxidation, testifies to their age and long history of use. The elegant simplicity of their design highlights the refined aesthetic characteristic of many West African metalworking traditions.

Today these ornaments represent fine examples of traditional African jewelry and would make an excellent addition to a collection of African tribal art, ethnographic jewelry, or historical metalwork.

Lobi Chameleon Ring - €145.00

Early Lobi Chameleon Ring – Burkina Faso

Zoomorphic copper alloy ornament from the Sylvia & Henry Gygax collection

This remarkable early Lobi ring from Burkina Faso beautifully reflects the symbolic richness and formal refinement of West African metal arts. Cast in a copper alloy, likely bronze or brass, the piece is distinguished by its rare zoomorphic decoration depicting a finely stylized chameleon.

An animal deeply associated in many African cultures with transformation, adaptability, and the connection between visible and invisible worlds, the chameleon is rendered here with striking formal restraint. The composition achieves a subtle balance between abstraction and naturalism, characteristic of early artistic productions from the Lobi cultural sphere.

The quality of the modeling, the softness of the patina, and the visible traces of age across the surface attest to an authentic object that was once worn and carefully preserved over time. The metalwork reveals a confident technical mastery, resulting in a composition that is both minimal and highly expressive.

This piece comes from the prestigious Swiss collection of Sylvia and Henry Gygax, recognized for the quality and sensitivity of its selections in the field of early African art. Such provenance adds significant interest for collectors attentive to historical coherence and distinguished collections.

Through its rarity, symbolic strength, and refined execution, this early Lobi ring stands as an excellent example of traditional African jewelry, ideal for a collection dedicated to the arts of Burkina Faso, early adornment objects, or miniature forms of African tribal art.

Akan gold weight - €75.00

Akan gold weights, called mram or ahindra-yobwe in the Twi language, renowned in West African art, are much more than simple measuring instruments: they constitute a unique cultural and symbolic heritage in West Africa.

These small brass or bronze figurines, used from the 15th to the early 20th century, served to weigh gold dust, a major form of currency in the Akan kingdoms (Ashanti, Baoulé, Fanti, etc.), located primarily in Ghana and Ivory Coast. Their precision, often less than 2.5 ounces, testifies to remarkable craftsmanship, calibrated using the seeds of Abrus precatorius.

What makes these objects exceptional is their dual function: practical and symbolic. Each weight represents an element of daily life, nature, or Akan mythology – animals, plants, tools, scenes of social life, or Adinkra symbols. They thus form a veritable “miniature museum,” illustrating the values, proverbs, and founding narratives of the society. For example, a crocodile-shaped weight might evoke patience, while a seated human figure recalls the importance of wisdom and collective deliberation.

The Akan are particularly famous for these objects because their economic system was based on gold, an abundant resource in the region. The weights, kept in leather or fabric cases called dja, were much more than mere tools of commerce: they were status markers, prestige objects, and even educational materials, transmitting the philosophy and history of the people. Their use was overseen by specialists, often connected to the royal court, emphasizing their sacred and political dimension.

Kongo Kiditu crucifix - €240.00

Known in traditional African art of the Bakongo, kiditu crucifixes, also called nkangi kiditu (“protective Christ”), hold a special place in the art and spirituality of the Kongo people, who live between Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of Congo.

Their history dates back to the 15th century, when the first Portuguese missionaries introduced Christianity to the Kongo Kingdom. Local artisans quickly adopted this iconography, creating unique crucifixes, often made of copper alloy, ivory, or wood, where Christ is depicted with African features and traditional geometric patterns.

These objects are not simply religious symbols: they embody a profound syncretism between the Christian faith and ancestral Kongo beliefs. In the local culture, the cross represents the yowa, the four creative forces associated with the cardinal directions and the cycles of life.

Nkangi kiditu crucifixes were frequently owned by chiefs (mfumu) and used in power rituals (kimpasi), serving as status symbols, objects of protection against misfortune, and a link to ancestors.

Their creation reflects this cultural fusion: while the form is inspired by European models, the materials, casting techniques, and ornamental details are typically Kongo. Some crucifixes, such as those exhibited at the Musée du Quai Branly or the Royal Museum for Central Africa, still bear traces of "magical charges" added to reinforce their spiritual power.