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Description

A Crane and a Wè-Guéré Miniature Mask Wè-Guéré and crane, Côte d'Ivoire Ohne Sockel / without base Wood, textile, raffia, iron. H 9,5 . 14.5 cm. Provenance: Gérald Minkoff (1937-2009) and Muriel Olesen (1948-2020), Geneva. Miniature masks are replicas of much larger, identically designed dance masks. The common name "passpartout" is due to the fact that an owner could identify himself as an initiate by showing his personal mask, especially when traveling. In addition to this, the artistically crafted hand charms were also power-giving objects and amulets with which spiritual contact could be made with the mother mask. Further reading: Fischer, Eberhard / Himmelheber, Hans (1976). The art of Dan. Museum Rietberg: Zurich. -------------------------------------------- Gérald Minkoff and Muriel Olesen Muriel Minkoff-Olesen (1948- 2020) completed her training at the School of Design in Geneva. Gérald Minkoff (1937-2009) was a trained anthropologist and biologist. Both achieved fame as artists, and from their meeting in 1967, the emblematic couple of contemporary art became inseparable. The travel-loving Olesen-Minkoff duo explored life like curious nomads, roaming the globe from Africa to Asia, Oceania, America and Patagonia. As artists and experienced collectors of contemporary art, they understandably had a keen sensitivity to the aesthetics and concepts of non-European art. The couple's Geneva apartment, perhaps their most beautiful joint work, thus became a place where the works of close friends such as Daniel Spoerri, Arman and Man Ray, as well as their own photographs, lived together with almost a thousand objects from Africa, Oceania, Asia and South America. CHF 200 / 400 Weight in grams: 193 Condition: The condition (possible wear, signs of use, tears, possible other impairments and the 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.

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A Crane and a Wè-Guéré Miniature Mask Wè-Guéré and crane, Côte d'Ivoire Ohne Sockel / without base Wood, textile, raffia, iron. H 9,5 . 14.5 cm. Provenance: Gérald Minkoff (1937-2009) and Muriel Olesen (1948-2020), Geneva. Miniature masks are replicas of much larger, identically designed dance masks. The common name "passpartout" is due to the fact that an owner could identify himself as an initiate by showing his personal mask, especially when traveling. In addition to this, the artistically crafted hand charms were also power-giving objects and amulets with which spiritual contact could be made with the mother mask. Further reading: Fischer, Eberhard / Himmelheber, Hans (1976). The art of Dan. Museum Rietberg: Zurich. -------------------------------------------- Gérald Minkoff and Muriel Olesen Muriel Minkoff-Olesen (1948- 2020) completed her training at the School of Design in Geneva. Gérald Minkoff (1937-2009) was a trained anthropologist and biologist. Both achieved fame as artists, and from their meeting in 1967, the emblematic couple of contemporary art became inseparable. The travel-loving Olesen-Minkoff duo explored life like curious nomads, roaming the globe from Africa to Asia, Oceania, America and Patagonia. As artists and experienced collectors of contemporary art, they understandably had a keen sensitivity to the aesthetics and concepts of non-European art. The couple's Geneva apartment, perhaps their most beautiful joint work, thus became a place where the works of close friends such as Daniel Spoerri, Arman and Man Ray, as well as their own photographs, lived together with almost a thousand objects from Africa, Oceania, Asia and South America. CHF 200 / 400 Weight in grams: 193 Condition: The condition (possible wear, signs of use, tears, possible other impairments and the 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.

Estimate 200 - 400 CHF
Starting price 5 CHF

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For sale on Wednesday 28 Aug : 18:00 (CEST)
basel, Switzerland
Hammer Auktionen AG
+41444000220
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A Wè-Guéré Mask Face mask Wè-Guéré, Côte d'Ivoire Ohne Sockel / without base Wood, aluminum, raffia, leather, various fetish materials. H 37 cm. Provenance: - Center des Sciences Humaines, Abidjan. - 1969: Jean-Louis Rinsoz (1932-1971), Vevey. - Heirs of Jean-Louis Rinsoz, French-speaking Switzerland. Exhibited: Africa 69, Arts de la Côte-d'Ivoire et de l'Afrique occidentale. Vevey (1969). These masks were once used to prepare men for war. Later, they also appeared on various occasions: for example, they could appear at ceremonial festivities such as memorial services in honor of an important person, at court hearings or simply to entertain the village. Further reading: Verger-Fèvre, Marie-Noël: Côte d'Ivoire: Masques du pays Wé, in: Tribal. Le magazine de l'art tribal. No. 9/2005. Bruxelles: Primedia s.p.r.l. ----------------------------------------------------- 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 400 / 800 Weight in grams: 780 Condition: The condition (wear, eventual cracks, tear, other imperfections and the effects of aging etc. if applicable) of this lot is as visible on the multiple photos we have uploaded for your documentation. Please feel free to contact Hammer Auktionen for all questions you might have regarding this lot ([email protected]). Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Hammer Auktionen is here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Hammer Auktionen within 5 days of receiving the item. -------------------------------- The condition (possible wear, signs of use, cracks, possible other damage 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