Featured Carved African headrest

Saw this piece yesterday at one of my favorite booths (didn't buy-$140.00). It's an African Headrest, carved wood 5" to 6" tall.Love this form-an ancient shape as you can see from the Egyptian examples. (below the wood African piece).

 

A very elegant one and nicely decorated. Has some age too. I think the price isn't too much for what it is, but understand why you didn't buy it.

 

I agree AJ- and I've always loved this iconic form.I looked the piece up and it's not uncommon to see these go for quite a bit more in better galleries and sites.I know and really like the Dealer (and appreciate Her taste !). I might give Her a call and see if we can work out a part trade or discount ?
PS- Thanks big for the feedback, your opinion counts a lot with me !

 

I can't see how these headrests would be comfortable. I did read up on them and at least they were practical. Bosko, will you be replacing your Beautyrest pillow?

 

more likely , his My Pillow , pillow !!!!

 

I see the these every now and then. This is quite a nice one with pattern detail (as AJ noted) but expensive

 

Ola-I don't think I could ever acquire a taste for one of these under my head !

Maybe after a few thousand years I could get used to it ?

 

It would be especially hard if you're a side-sleeper. You're not supposed to sleep on your side in order to prevent damaging your rotator cuff.

 

I was thinking you couldn't use one of these to sleep on your side at all, but pix show you can. Think if you had one that was tailored to the width of your shoulders, that didn't push your head to the side, it might be more comfortable than sleeping with no head support. I can't see my chiropractor approving any of the ones shown. They wouldn't need to be that high if the main purpose were to keep you from lying directly on sand/stones. Wonder if there is a status factor in how high your head is held up?

I mostly sleep on my side, but only damaged a rotator cuff in a fall. My shoulders are quite narrow. Once, going through airport security, a TSA agent reaching for me after the metal detector apologized, I just have to feel your shoulders. I don't have any shoulders, I protested. I can feel that, she said, with a smile.

 

they were necessary so one did not sleep with their head on the ground...... where creepy crawlers could find their way up your nose or in your ear , or mouth...!!!!!

Ai says...
Practical Reasons for Elevation

• Hairstyle preservation: Many communities wore intricate braids, clay topknots, or mud-plastered rings that took hours to create and weeks to maintain. Wooden supports kept these coiffures from getting flattened or ruined overnight. [1, 2]
• Pest and dirt protection: Lifting the head prevented dust, sand, and crawling insects like scorpions or beetles from getting into the ears, nose, or mouth. [1, 2]
• Cooling airflow: Raising the neck allowed night breezes to circulate underneath, helping people stay cool in hot climates

 

I was questioning why some of them look uncomfortably high & would make my chiropractor cringe.

 

my guess is if they were made that way , folks must have gotten used to them....or they would have been made lower to the ground.

 

They are probably less expensive where you live, closer to the source. The decoration reminds me of Kuba carvings, so maybe it is from DRC.

 

So do I. I get nightmares if I sleep on my back.

So are mine. One of my friends used to say: "I can offload all my problems on you, they slide of your small shoulders anyway".

 

Fair comment,I absolutely agree with that..

 

I'm guessing that pricing Ethnic Art has a lot to do with age,authenticated provenance, and rarely-artist's signature.
With these classical objects, be it a Buddha or a neckrest -dating them can be a real challenge because as AJ mentioned before the forms have been unchanged for centuries.
PS-Yep, Boland being in Africa, would find a lot of freshly sculpted indigenous headrests. Some headrests are 'airport art' tourist pieces,some beautifully-crafted art.
Same in the Pacific Northwest-lots of NA PNW carving and much of it 'tourist grade'.