3 Asante Goldweights, Fishes

3 gold weights, fish Asante, Ghana Ohne Sockel / without base Yellow cast iron. L 5 - 9 cm. Provenance: - Galerie Walu, Zurich. - Fred (1933-2021) and Ilse (1934-2021) Mayer, Zurich. The weights of the Akan people on the former Gold Coast were in use from about 1400 to 1900. Their designation is not for the material of manufacture, but for their function, the weighing of gold dust which was also used as a means of payment. Until the end of the 19th century, gold dust was therefore actively traded by the Asante and related peoples in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Special spoons ("saawa"), mostly made of sheet brass, were used to take the gold dust ("sikafuturo") from a container ("adaka", "kuduo", etc.) to weigh it on a beam balance ("nsania") with the help of counterweights ("abrammoo" / "mrammou, "abrammuo", etc.). The gold weights were made of copper alloys using the technique of lost wax casting (also called "cire perdue" or "lost mold"). Early metal castings were mainly geometric in design, and it was not until the 16th century that figurative weights appeared. These "newer" weights continued to be for practical use, and in addition, as prestige weights, most often depicted Akan proverbs. In 1899, the use of gold dust as currency was banned by the British in Ghana. Further reading: Niangoran-Bouah, Georges (1984). L'univers Akan des poids a peser l'or / The Akan World of Gold Weights. Abidjan: Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines. ----------------------------------------------------- Ilse Günther-Mayer (1934-2021) was one of the first photo reporters in Switzerland and the first press photographer for the international picture agency Keystone in Zurich. Photographer Fred Mayer (1933-2021) worked for Magnum Photos and various press agencies, including ATP, DPA and AFP. The couple published various portfolios more than 30 books. They realized reportages for various magazines (Stern, Geo, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Schweizer Illustrierte and others) which were taken during their joint travels (also to Africa). CHF 100 / 200 EUR 100 / 200