Ceremonial staff "rekade" ·  Benin, Fon · ID: 3035775

Description

wood, crowned with a dog’s head with open teeth-revealing mouth, the eyes inset with red glass beads, completely stud with metal sheet, min. dam.,
“rekades” developed from war axes. The “rekade” symbolizes the authority of its owner. The messenger of the king carried the veiled staff on his shoulder, first uncovering it in presence of the receiver of the message, in order to seal the dispatch.

The object Ceremonial staff “rekade” with the object ID 3035775 was last part of the auction 75th tribal art auction at November 30, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 92 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,700.

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Comparing literature

Robbins, Warren M. & Nancy Ingram Nooter, African Art in American Collections, o.O. 1989, p. 208