Auction 105
Zemanek-Münster

Three dolls "ham pilu" ·  Cameroon, Fali · ID: 3050042

Price EUR 800
plus 27 % commission, VAT, transport and insurance
Provenance
Bernd Muhlack, Kiel, Germany (1995)
Size
H: ca. 24 cm (each)
H: ca. 9.4 inch (each)

Description

wood, miniature glass beads, cowries, coins, leather, cord material, each mounted on base

There are still leather straps (cords) on the dolls with which they were tied on the back and carried around, either as toys or as fertility dolls of marriageable girls or women who remained childless.

J.P. Lebeuf reports that a young man must worship a doll “ham pilu” to the girl of his choice, which has the gender that the couple’s future child should have.


The object Three dolls “ham pilu” with the object ID 3050042 was part of the auction Collectors’ Items Sale on September 24, 2025, lot number 237 at that time and is currently available for EUR 800 in Open sale.

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


Comparing literature

Bofinger, Brigitte & Wolfgang, Puppen aus Afrika, Stuttgart 2006, p. 56 ff.


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