Basket
Cameroon, Wum
Price
EUR 800
plus 27 % commission, VAT, transport and insurance
Provenance
collected in situ (1940)American Private Collection
Size
H: 32,5 cm
H: 12.8 inch
Description
diverse plant fibres, dyed in parts, good state of preservation;
traditionally these baskets are designed to have well-rounded bottoms and a curved wall which widens gently toward the sturdy rim. A conical cover crowns the object, and colourful patterns are woven into the sides. Their most distinctive feature is the elongated cylinder attached as a base, but since the basket is carried on the head, this impractical device is merely a status symbol. The more the owner is sure of her balancing act, the taller the cylinder becomes.