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180 - GABON
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Estimation
€250 - 350Sale fees
GABON Nkom blacksmith’s bellows, Fang style, Hardwood, red and black pigments, kaolin, leather, metal. It has retained its leather bellows, which is rare. The anthropomorphic bellows, called Nkom among the Fang people, is part of the initiation equipment used in the Kpwé rite, the male coming-of-age ceremony. It holds great cultural significance because it is the blacksmith’s exclusive tool. Its imagery is powerful. It also represents both man and woman. The outlet holes symbolize the female vulva through which the breath of life passes. The leather-covered chambers represent the testicles, while the handle and head represent the penis. The blacksmith’s bellows carry symbolic, ritual, and sexual significance all at once. Their manufacture is the exclusive domain of men, and they are crafted out of sight of women and children. H.: 70 cm
Auction details
Civilisations # 2Auction house
Artenchères +33 4 78 00 86 65 contact@artencheres.frDelivery is optional. You can use the carrier of your choice. The stated price does not include the lot price or the auction house fees.