Chief's ring "mpetea" with "starbursts" · Ghana, Akan / Ashanti · ID: 3045196
sold
EUR 1,800
Provenance
René David, Zurich, SwitzerlandRoland Hartmann, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Size
H: 4 cm
D: 2 cm
H: 1.6 inch
D: 0.8 inch
Description
gold alloy ca. 0,750 (18 carat), weight: 64,9 g,
The motif represents the cocoon of an insect, the shape of which belies its function. The Akan say of this image: “A person’s character is not easily deciphered”. This approximates the expressions “appearances are deceiving” or “you can’t tell a book by its cover”.
Expertise
Nr. 536, Eidgenössisches Kontrollamt für Edelmetalle, Zurich, 31.7.1992
Comparing literature
Ross, Doran H., Gold of the Akan from the Glassell Collection, Houston 2002, p. 182