Ornamental comb "duafe" ·  Ghana, Akan · ID: 3036209

Description

wood, light brown patina, kaolin, small bracelets with colourful miniature glass beads, sixteen teeth, elaborate work, with movable bipartite middle piece (handle ?) and standing figure, the frontside carved with letters: “Sambedu - 31(.)6.1928 - “Dear Lover”, palms and delicate geometrical ornaments in flat relief, rep. (breakage left shoulder/platform), slightly dam. (bracelets);
carved combs are traditionally owned by women. Their elaborate coiffures usually demand the services of a good friend, along with the use of one or two sturdy combs, in their creation. Although a woman may order a comb for herself from a carver, many of the more elaborate examples were gifts from men to women in commemoration of special events. Puberty celebrations, weddings, births, and any one of a number of traditional or Christian festivals might occasion the gift of a comb from a father to his daughter, a son to his mother, or a man to his wife or girlfriend.

The object Ornamental comb “duafe” with the object ID 3036209 was last part of the auction 77th tribal art auction at June 28, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 228 achieved a sales price of EUR 500.

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Comparing literature

Cole, Herbert M. & Doran H. Ross, The Arts of Ghana, Los Angeles 1977, p. 48 ff.