£10,000 - £12,000
A LARGE TRIBAL BEADED CEREMONIAL CROWN OR ALTAR HEADDRESS, BAMILEKE PEOPLE, CAMEROON, WEST AFRICA.
Probably mid-20th century. Featuring intricate sculptural skull form decorated in polychrome beads and earlier bronze bells, depicting an oversized human skull mounted on a red velvet hat. Many people refer to this type of object as an altar item or as a crown. These were used in traditional ceremonies, possibly for funerals and other skull worshipping traditions. Sometimes it may have been placed on the main altar for divination purposes. A superb example, this remarkable Bamileke headdress sculpture makes for a fascinating decorative object which is incredibly rare in this form and shape.
Provenance: Ex Sandor Lubbe collection, Palmer-Hudson Collection.
(h 24cm x w 23cm x d 23cm)
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