Zemanek-Münster

Chief's ring "mpetea" with "starbursts" ·  Ghana, Akan / Ashanti · ID: 3045196

sold EUR 1,800
Provenance
René David, Zurich, Switzerland
Roland 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”.


The object Chief’s ring “mpetea” with “starbursts” with the object ID 3045196 was last part of the auction 91 Tribal Art Auction at March 9, 2019 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 167 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,800.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about African art.


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


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