Jean-Louis Rinsoz's Headpiece, "sika kle" Headdress by Jean-Louis Rinsoz, "sika kle" Baule, Côte d'Ivoire Ohne Sockel / without base Textile, wood, gold foil. H 13 cm. Ø 18.5 cm. Provenance: - Jean-Louis Rinsoz (1932-1971), Vevey. - Heirs Jean-Louis Rinsoz, French-speaking Switzerland. This royal headdress, known as a "sika kle", was worn by Jean-Louis Rinsoz in 1970 at a court ceremony to mark his appointment as Notable of Baule in front of an assembled audience. The motifs sewn onto the velvet, carved from wood and covered in gold leaf, are allegorical sayings that refer to the praiseworthy qualities of the wearer. Further reading: Ross, Doran and Eisner, Georg (2008). The gold of the Akan. Museum Liaunig. Neuhaus: Museum Administration Ltd. ----------------------------------------------------- Jean-Louis Rinsoz Jean-Louis Rinsoz was born in Vevey in 1932. After completing his schooling, he studied economics at the University of Lausanne (Faculty of Business Administration, HEC) before joining the family business "Rinsoz et Ormond SA" in Vevey, which manufactured tobacco, cigars and cigarettes. Deeply attached to his home region, he was always closely involved in Vevey's social, cultural and industrial activities. In order to diversify the sources of tobacco supply and meet the growing demands of an expanding market, Jean-Louis Rinsoz looked for new production areas. His travels took him first to Maryland (USA) and then, in the mid-1960s, to Côte d'Ivoire. This country was a revelation for him. Everything he was passionate about was there: the nature, the people and their culture! In addition to developing a significant economic partnership with the Ivorian state by setting up several tobacco production centers there, Jean-Louis Rinsoz financed the opening of a number of small schools to provide access to education for the children of this country. He was officially appointed by the Ivorian state as "Honorary Consul of Côte d'Ivoire in Switzerland, based in Vevey" and was even inaugurated as village chief in the Baoulé region. He was equally fascinated by the traditional art of these regions, in its social, aesthetic and religious dimensions. It was in this context that he met the ethnologist and art historian Bohumil Holas, who was then director of the Museum of Civilizations of Côte d'Ivoire in Abidjan. The two men became friends. The confluence of all these factors resulted in the exhibition "Arts de la Côte d'Ivoire. The Treasures of the Abidjan Museum", which was held at the Museum of Fine Arts in Vevey in 1969. Jean-Louis Rinsoz was the chairman of the committee. The moving foreword he wrote for the catalog of this event testifies to his deep attachment to this country. Jean-Louis Rinsoz had applied for Ivorian citizenship. He was never to live to see that day, as he died in a tragic accident in 1971. The African objects from Jean-Louis Rinsoz's personal collection have been in the family ever since and this "treasure from Vevey" is being offered to international collectors of traditional African art for the first time at our auction. CHF 300 / 600 Weight in grams: 125 Condition: Gold foil affected or missing in places (see photos). -------------------------------- The condition (possible wear, signs of use, cracks, 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.