One from my parent's collection. They bought it from a Dutch collector in the 1960s and I don't remember much about it, only that he is steatite and African. Am I right in thinking this is a steatite Ntadi/Mintadi figure from the former Kongo Kingdom, now Angola and Congo? He feels old, but.... antique or replica? And what is he holding, is he a dignitary? Height: 14.6 cm/5.7". Very heavy. As always, any information is appreciated. Thank you for looking. Some examples of Ntadi I found: https://www.catawiki.com/fr/c/495-art-africain-et-tribal https://inmuseums.pl/collections/muzeum-narodowe-w-szczecinie_2/mintadi-figurines_189 I prefer mine, his face is lovely.
Sculptor had a problem with getting the proportions right, as the head is around the same size as the torso.
"The sculpture probably represents the village governor, who can be recognised by the insignia of power - a cap and a staff. " A (shorter) staff?
