Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;2manybooks, post: 4520902, member: 8267&quot;]Definitely Grasslands Cameroon - Bamileke, Bamun, Tikar - in style. The headress is a representation of a &quot;prestige&quot; cap similar to this one:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]398342[/ATTACH]</p><p><a href="https://exquisiteafricanart.com/project/bamileke-ashetu-title-holders-hat/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://exquisiteafricanart.com/project/bamileke-ashetu-title-holders-hat/" rel="nofollow">https://exquisiteafricanart.com/project/bamileke-ashetu-title-holders-hat/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>And the sword and scabbard are also prestige accoutrements:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]398389[/ATTACH] </p><p><a href="https://ertribal.com/index.php/tribal-art/archive/ornamental-prestige-sword-scabbard-bamum-bamileke-tikar-cameroon-grasslands" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://ertribal.com/index.php/tribal-art/archive/ornamental-prestige-sword-scabbard-bamum-bamileke-tikar-cameroon-grasslands" rel="nofollow">https://ertribal.com/index.php/tribal-art/archive/ornamental-prestige-sword-scabbard-bamum-bamileke-tikar-cameroon-grasslands</a></p><p><br /></p><p>So he is meant to represent a high status individual.</p><p><br /></p><p>His size is unusual. You might try sending an inquiry and your photos to this gallery, which had an exhibition of African bronzes in 2000, including a number of large scale castings from Cameroon:</p><p><a href="http://www.galerie-herrmann.com/arts/art2/bronzen_stuttgart/indexeng.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.galerie-herrmann.com/arts/art2/bronzen_stuttgart/indexeng.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.galerie-herrmann.com/arts/art2/bronzen_stuttgart/indexeng.htm</a></p><p><br /></p><p>My first reaction when I see things this large and dramatic is to assume it was made to attract a western buyer. But I may be mistaken. There is a tradition of large scale commemorative sculptures in this region (more often in wood), so there is a chance it may be something significant. Certainly, he is a fine example of the metalworker&#039;s skill.</p><p><br /></p><p>As to distinguishing brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) vs bronze (an alloy of copper and tin), you would most likely need a metallurgical analysis requiring a sample. It really does not make a big difference. Most of the metal used for such castings was recycled from imported objects (rather than being made directly from ores in Africa), so the composition can be quite variable. People just think &quot;bronze&quot; sounds better than &quot;brass&quot;.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in