INDIAN FIGURE OF A DEITY AND A CHINESE JUG IN THE FORM OF A

An Isoko Mask Isoko, Nigeria Mit Sockel / with base Wood, rattan. H 38 cm. Provenance: - Thierry Santos, Paris. - Galerie Alain & Abla Lecomte, Paris. - 2006: Private collection in French-speaking Switzerland. A certificate from Galerie Lecomte (2006) will be handed over to the buyer. Unsold at Sotheby's Paris (09.04.2022, "Living Contemporary", lot 14) with an estimate of € 5'000-7'000. An identical (?) mask is described by Philip M. Peek in "For Spirits and Kings - African art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman Collection" as follows: 82. MASK FOR ERESE FESTIVAL Nigeria, Igbo-Isoko, Bendel State, Ase village Wood, raffa, cowrie sbells, brass tacks, H. 11¾ in. (29.8 cm.) 1940-60? This mask is virtually identical to one of three headdresses recorded in Ase, Bendel State, Nigeria, in 1971 (see fig. 30). The three are owned by Odiri, priest of Onye-uku-Ekukeni, the major clan deity for warfare. Fach mask is topped by a joined pair of unidentified animals further honoring the deity. Worn by masqueraders covered with feathers and colorful head scarves, such headdresses are the focus of the Erese festival celebrated each March to cleanse the town before other festivals can be held. This ceremony is properly known as Erese Okpokponso (from the Isoko kpo, "go," and Igbo nso, "forbidden," or "to move/drive away forbidden things"). The combination of Isoko and Igbo terms reflects Ase's complex history. The ancestors of Ase's founders left Benin centuries ago and gradually, over many generations, moved down the Niger River. Reaching the junction of the Niger and Ase rivers, two brothers went up the Ase and settled. The senior brother soon left to find what was to become the Isoko town of Aviara. For years Ase remained "junior" to Aviara, but later became affiliated with the powerful Ndosimili Igbo town of Abo. Ase now considers itself completely Igbo. A further reflection of the difficulty in tracing the origins of Niger delta and riverain communities is that Ekukeni quarter, where the creators of the Erese festival live, was settled by migrants from Erohwa, an ancient clan now linked to the Isoko but predating even the Ijo in the western Niger delta. Further reading: Vogel, Susan / Translations and additional research by Kate EZRA (1981). For Spirits and Kings. African art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman Collection. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Page 143 CHF 2 000 / 4 000 Weight in grams: 1884 Condition: The condition (possible wear, signs of use, tears, possible other impairments and signs of age, etc.) of this lot can be seen in the photos we have uploaded for your documentation. If you have any questions about this item, please do not hesitate to contact Hammer Auctions ([email protected]). The information regarding the condition of the items provided for the convenience of interested parties is an opinion only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions. In the rare event that the item does not match the description in the catalog, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the lot for a full refund provided they notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the lot.