A Mfinu Ceremonial Axe, "ibia" - Ceremonial axe, "ibia"
Mfinu, Laali, Mboshi, Kuyu, Teke, DR Congo, Gabon
Ohne Sockel / without base
Wood, iron, copper alloy, upholstery nails. H 45 cm. L 43 cm.
Provenance:
Gérald Minkoff (1937-2009) and Muriel Olesen (1948-2020), Geneva.
Ceremonial weapons are characterized by careful manufacture and decorative design, e.g. the ornamentation with valuable materials such as copper, bronze, ivory or fur.
Their original function is thus limited, so that their use as a weapon of war is no longer the main focus. Instead, they signaled the wearer's social status and power, making them more like cult, ceremonial, dignity and status weapons that were also used in barter.
Further reading:
Cornet, Joseph-Aurelien / Dewey, William Dr. / Dubrunfaut, P. / Elsen, Jan / Felix, Marc L. / Gosseau, Christian / Schoonheyt, Jacques / van Noten, Francis (1992). Beauté fatale. Armes d'Afrique centrale. Galerie du Crédit Communal. Crédit Communal, Bruxelles.
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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 were 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 400 / 800
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 (info@hammerauktionen.ch).
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.
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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 (info@hammerauktionen.ch).
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.
Estim. 400 - 800 CHF
