Early and rare decorative bonnet "edoban" or "etue", 19th century ·  Gabon, Fang (Pangwe) · ID: 3047184

Description

leather, plant fibre, fabric, copper nails, cowry shells, glass beads, buttons,
This decorative bonnet was brought to Germany by DO. P. Jüngling. In a letter dated December 11, 1939, he reports that he received it as a gift from a chief in Africa, where it once adorned the head of this chief’s favorite woman.

Tessmann already mentions these headdresses and describes in detail their production and the materials used (Tessmann, Berlin, Bd.1,1913, p. 175 ff.).

He calls them “helmet caps” and reports that they were modelled on elaborate hairstyles of human hair.

He further reports that they were “not produced frequently” and only by the Ntumu and few Fang (Okak). Ornamental caps as well as helmet hairstyles were worn permanently by both sexes and were only taken off as a sign of mourning and sometimes before a hunt.

The object Early and rare decorative bonnet “edoban” or “etue”, 19th century with the object ID 3047184 was part of the auction 95th Tribal Art Auction on October 24, 2020. The object with the lot number 235 achieved a sales price of EUR 5,500 with an asking price of EUR 2,000.

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Comparing literature

Tessmann, Günter, Die Pangwe, Bd. 1, Berlin 1913, Abb. 119