LAURENT DODIER
Laurent Dodier has been a passionate art dealer since 1981, and an expert in tribal art since 2005. 2005: He becomes a member of the C.E.A. (company of expertise in antiques and works of art). 2011: He becomes a member of the C.E.D.E.A. (European confederation of art experts). On December 18, 2012, the President of the Panthéon-Assas University conferred upon him the diploma “Law and Technique of the Expertise of Works of Art”. 2015: He becomes a member of the S.F.E.P. (French Syndicate of Professional Experts of Works of Art and Collections). 2018: He becomes a member of the S.N.A. (the French national antique dealers’ association). Laurent Dodier participates each year in the four major events which are Paris Tribal and the Parcours des Mondes in Paris, the Bourgogne Tribal Show in Besanceuil and the Tribal & Textile art show in San Francisco. The gallery also participates in the Biennale in Paris and Showcase at TEFAF Maastricht. The gallery is located in the bay of the Mont Saint Michel in Normandy and is only open by appointment. 10 Bis la butte Avranches 50 300 LE VAL SAINT PERE - France Tel. : + 33 6 08 22 68 15 Email : laurentdodier@wanadoo.fr Web : www.laurentdodier.com
INTERVIEW
WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH TRIBAL ART? WAS IT IN A MUSEUM OR IN A GALLERY? WHAT TRIBAL ART OBJECT ATTRACTED YOU FIRST? My first encounter with tribal art? Guere masks in my childhood room, Oceanic fetishes in the household showcases, sets of spears and shields on the walls of the house... For my birthdays and holidays I received an Egyptian ouchebti or an ashanti gold-weight as a gift. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE BEFORE YOU YOURSELF PURCHASED YOUR VERY FIRST PIECE? ARE YOU A SELF-TAUGHT DEALER OR DID YOU HAVE A MENTOR? WHICH DEALERS INSPIRED YOU EARLY ON? After living in the midst of antiques, I quickly realized that my professional life would revolve around art objects. At the age of 18, I was working every weekend in the auction house of Maître Poullain, the auctioneer in Avranches, which gave me good pocket money for my student life. I was preparing a law degree in order to become an auctioneer, but at the last moment, my license in hand, I opted for the trade in 1981. It was with foresight because a few years later the auctioneers became ... dealers! As to the purchase and sale of works of art, it was my peers who gave me the virus. First of all my father, Philippe Dodier, who opened his gallery in Avranches in 1961, then come the encounters, especially with Olivier Le Corneur and Jean Roudillon. These three major figures of the art market were my masters and they enjoyed sharing their knowledge and “teaching” me the job. Philippe Dodier and Olivier Le Corneur are no longer here, and it is now more than 38 years that Jean Roudillon is my mentor. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE FIRST PIECE YOU BOUGHT ? The first important piece I bought, I remember, it took me two years to pay it off ! In 1981, after only 6 months of being a young dealer I visited Marceau Riviere on Rue Saint Benoit and a Tatanua mask caught my eye. I ask for the price, “it’s a Tatanua mask from the Hooper collection, it costs 50,000 francs” he replied. I was fascinated by this mask; I borrowed the money from my grandfather and bought it. It took me 2 years to repay it.
DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE INITIATED TO START COLLECTING? It is a question of encounters. All who are collectors have been initiated by someone who has inoculated them with the “virus”. Once the insider secrets are unveiled, the great adventure begins ... THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CASES OF FORGERIES IN THE TRIBAL ART MARKET. HOW DO DEALERS GIVE THEIR CLIENTS CONFIDENCE REGARDING WORKS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO TRACE? I think the role of the dealer is to accompany the collector on his journey. All objects were created by artists to serve in specific ceremonies; the dealer is a transmitter, he is the intermediary between the objects and the collectors. The dealer creates nothing except collections that he invents with his own taste and that of his collector friends. It takes years of friendship, exchange, respect, complicity for a dealer to accompany a collector. But before offering an object to the collector, the merchant, upstream, must vet the object: is it authentic? If so, what aesthetic quality does it have? Will this object fit correctly into the collection? These are the questions the dealer must ask himself. All of my work as expert-dealer is to assure my client that I made every effort to guarantee that the object that I propose to him is authentic. I am legally responsible for this, and further more morally reponsible that it fits into the collection that I am building with him ARE WE SEEING A NEW GENERATION OF COLLECTORS EMERGING IN THE TRIBAL ART MARKET? There are always new collectors, it is our role to initiate them. DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING YOURSELF OR DO YOU JUST ENJOY TURNING DEALS? I do not allow myself to collect what I sell. Indeed, I can not conceive of not selling the best to my clients. I do not see myself keeping a beautiful object - out of respect for my collectors I must offer to them. I do this job to be continually surrounded by works of art. So, I’m always in the middle of objects but they change, they are never the same. When I prepare an exhibition, I look for the maximum number of pieces in the theme, and I keep them, sometimes for a long time, but the ultimate goal is the sale and integration of these objects into a collection. The best example is the exhibition of spoons from the North West Coast that I organized in 2011 during Parcours des Mondes. I bought the first of these spoons from Merton Simpson in 1983 in New York, and the last from Donald Ellis in 2010, 27 years of waiting to present this exhibition of 36 spoons. For 27 years they were not for sale and during the Parcours des Mondes of 2011, I sold them all in 4 days. IS THERE ANY MATERIAL THAT YOU WON’T BUY OR SELL? ANYTHING THAT IS TABOO OR OFF LIMITS ? No limits. The object was made a long time ago to serve a religion and often a ceremonial context. Presented on a base and shown under a spotlight, it is now out of this context, it has acquired another function: it has become a work of art.
WHAT ARE THE AESTHETIC ASPECTS THAT GUIDE YOUR CHOICES? Does chance exist? My guideline is the meetings with objects. I learned at the “old school”; my mentors gave me the taste for the sublime Egyptian objects, the strange African masks, the Oceanic surrealist fetishes, the severe statuary of the Middle Ages, the enigmatic smiles of Thai Buddhas. What fascinates me is the confrontation of civilizations, the communions between different areas and all the creations of man transcended by his faith. CAN YOU DISCUSS A FEW OF THE MAJOR HIGH PROFILE PIECES YOU’VE SOLD? I had the good fortune to present a masterpiece: it was during the Parcours des Mondes of 2012, an exceptional Yoruba maternity figure. Why is this maternity figure a masterpiece? How to measure the quality of exception here, which by definition is out of the usual scale? I think the three essential conditions are united there to respond to this question. First of all, the cultual aspect : this seated and offering maternity figure is not an ordinary priestess, it is the rare representation of a Queen Mother. Then the materiality of this object, and the magnificient plasticity is such that we can define this sculptor as a master artist. Ultimately, this sculpture becomes a master-work through the attention of the many scholars who appreciated publishing and exhibiting it. Since its discovery by Ezio Bassani, this Queen Mother has not stopped appearing in the most important exhibitions of Tribal Art. I have had the priviledge of placing many other beautiful objects from America, Africa and Oceania in private collections. WHAT TYPES OF OBJECTS ARE MOST SUITED TO THE FRENCH MARKET? French collectors are amateurs for every type of art, they are the best collectors in the world! WHAT ART FAIRS DO YOU CURRENTLY PARTICIPATE IN? I exhibit or have exhibited in different art fairs; The Parcours des Mondes in Paris, BRUNEAF in Brussels, TEFAF in Maastricht, the Biennale in Paris, the Tribal & Textile Art Show in San Francisco and the Bourgogne Tribal Show in Besanceuil. The next three fairs in which I participate are the Bourgogne Tribal Show in May 2019 (it is a unique art fair!), The Parcours des Mondes in September 2019 (a must for Tribal Art!) and the Biennale Paris in September 2019 (the most beautiful fair in the world!) For me, these three art fairs complement each other. WHAT IS YOUR NEXT PROJECT/PUBLICATION? I have two major exhibitions in preparation: “Grands Fauves” which will be a selection of large African animal masks. It will be presented during the next Parcours des Mondes. “Eugène de Kermadec and Baoulé fetishes” at the Paris Biennale 2019. Eugène de Kermadec, is a painter on the frontier of the figurative and the abstract. He was discovered by Daniel Henri Khanweiler, and took part in the exhibition “Primitive art in artists’ studios” in 1967 at the Musée de l’Homme where he presented a Baule figure. After exhibiting
10 paintings at the Biennale Paris 2018 which were confronted with a selection of objects from Africa and Oceania, I will present next September eight paintings by E. de Kermadec and eight Baoulé fetishes of the highest quality. A cataloge will be published as usual or the occasion (it will be my 11th cataloge in 9 years) IF THERE WERE NO SHORTAGE OF GREAT MATERIAL FROM ONE CULTURE OR REGION WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER TO SPECIALIZE IN ? As I said, I need cultures to respond to one another, objects to talk to each other, a crossing of views. My dream specialty? All objects at all times. DOES YOUR FAMILY SHARE YOUR PASSION OR IS IT YOUR PRIVATE UNIVERSE? DID YOU TRANSMIT YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND YOUR PASSION TO SOME FRIENDS I have three children, two big girls who, certainly, are not in the art business, but their education and their taste pushed them towards an artistic profession, one is creative in saddlery, the other is an Argentine tango dancer. My 8 year old son is too young to know, but what is certain is that he has the soul of a collector, he would always like to keep everything and never sell anything. DO YOU THINK A COLLECTOR FEELS MORE REASSURED WHEN HE BUYS AT AUCTIONS THAN FROM A DEALER? DO YOU THINK THAT AUCTION HOUSES ARE A THREAT FOR DEALERS, WHO WILL FIND MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO MAKE A LIVING? I am not convinced that collectors are more reassured by buying at public auctions. What is certain is that at auction there is more transparency where as dealing on a one to one basis is more confidential. But, and we come back to what was said earlier, if trust between dealer and collector takes long to build, it is all the more solid. DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF A DEALER SHOULD BE TO SHOW CLIENTS NEW OBJECTS TO BUY? IN FACT IT’S THANKS TO DEALERS’ RESEARCHES THAT WE DISCOVERED CERTAIN AREAS. We as dealers exist to help the public discover the fetishes and the masks. To help them to see the object in all its verious aspects, to tell them stories, to teach them what they do not suspect, to make them love the object, and to make them share our passion. Are we not dream merchants? DO YOU THINK THAT THIS MARKET IS GOING TO BE MORE AND MORE STRUCTURED THANKS TO ALL THE NEW DOCUMENTATION COMING OUT AND ITS WIDER DIFFUSION? Even if there is a certain acceleration in knowledge, I think we are still at the beginning of the history of tribal art. It all started with the artists at the beginning of the 20th century who really experienced a shock. Ethnologists, academics, exhibition curators, all the actors of art have played a great role and we must thank them for their work, their field studies and their writings.
But it takes a long time to get acquainted with these oral cultures, and one must remember that the missionaries and other colonial administrators arrived in Africa and elsewhere in conquered territoires and did not really give the opportunity to share information to the elders who had the knowledge to initiate them. Is it not said that when an Elder dies in Africa, it is a library that burns? CAN YOU IMAGINE DOING ANYTHING ELSE FOR A LIVING? IS THIS A BUSINESS YOU RETIRE FROM? Another job? Why ? There are so many different ways to do this job! It is the most complete that can exist. Knowledge, intuition, reflection, psychology, research work, management, business knowledge etc ... Before an object is offered for sale, under a spotlight in an exhibition, there are so many more interesting steps than others job specialities. Retirement ? Except for illness that would prevent me from doing business, there is no question of retirement. During my first 40 years of work, I have been given a lot of knowledge, I think it is my moral duty to give this knowledge to the young generations of experts, dealers and students, as well as to all new and old collectors. WHAT ARE FOR YOU THE TWO OR THREE GREATEST EXHIBITIONS AND WHICH BOOKS DO YOU CHECK MOST OFTEN? The most important to me, because it is the consecration of a new way to apprehend tribal art, it is “PRIMITIVISM” in the 20th Century, in 1984 at the MOMA. Then come the exhibitions of the DAPPER foundation, which I loved, and each new exhibition that shows the icons of tribal art such as the last one I saw in Bologna which goes in this direction. I am lucky to have at my disposal a library started in 1961, books are not rare at home, moreover, the library at the Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac is an inexhaustible source for research. IS THERE ANY OBJECT IN YOUR COLLECTION THAT YOU LIKE MORE THAN OTHERS ? As I told you, I am not a collector. DO YOU THINK SOMETIMES THERE ARE OBJECTS THAT ARE SPECIAL TO YOU AND THAT THERE IS A SORT OF MAGIC IN THE WAY THEY COME YOUR WAY? I consider myself a dealer and a transmitter ; the objects rotate, go from one collection to another. Thanks to the archives of the Dodier gallery since 1961, and to our expert work in the professional associations and guilds, when a collection comes to its end, we are responsible for its dispersion; some objects come back to me, I am delighted. There is nothing magical, only the result of conscientious work. DID YOU TRAVEL IN AFRICA/OCEANIA? I have never been to Africa or Oceania, I travel through my objects and my books, that is enough for me.
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM OBJECT, THE PIECE THAT SHOULD NOT BE MISSING IN YOU IMAGINARY MUSEUM? My imaginary museum? Could I be a ghost walking at will in the Louvre museum? THE LAST QUESTION. IF THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE HOUSE, WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD SAVE? The soul of man and the object are immortal, the spirit will always be saved.
SALE
TAS is a group of international dealers widely acknowledge for their expertise, which since June 2011 sells tribal art through a website. TAS Membership is by invitation only and reserved exclusively to experts in their field and who participate in major tribal art events and fairs. Pieces are published and changed at the beginning of every month. The objects are presented from different angles with a full description and corresponding dealer’s contact information. In order to guarantee the quality of pieces available on the site, objects are systematically validated by a pool of experts from the best specialized companies in the field. Collectors are therefore encouraged to decide and buy with complete confidence. In addition to this, Tribal Art Society proposes a seven day full money back return scheme should the buyer not feel totally satisfied with his purchase. This website is regularly updated with press articles, interviews and news of each of its members in order to keep amateurs well-informed and further contribute to their understanding and appreciation of tribal art More on: www.tribalartsociety.com
DOGON FIGURE
01 Female figure Dogon Mali 20th Century. Hard wood. with a light patina Height: 74,5 cm Provenance: Pierre Vérité gallery, Paris Old private collection, Brest Exhibited in : Daoulas : « les mondes Dogons » abbaye de Daoulas. april-october 2002. Rennes : « Collecteurs d’âmes » Musée de Beaux-Arts. dec. 2006-mars 2007. Published in : « les mondes Dogons » Abbaye de Daoulas. may 2002. page 159 Price: 5.500 euros
Object presented by: Laurent Dodier M.: + 33 6 08 22 68 15 E.: laurentdodier@wanadoo.fr
Female ancestor represented standing, arms off the body and prominent breasts. This sculpture comes from a toguna pillar. These pillars were planted in the ground and served to support the frame of the hut where the men met.
BAMBARA FIGURE
02 Figure Bambara Mali Wood Height : 29 cm Provenance: Private collection, Paris Price: 3.900 euros
Object presented by: Eric Hertault M.: +33 6 15 38 64 81 E.: hertault.eric@gmail.com
BAMBARA SCULPTURE
03 Sculpture Bambara Mali Wood and beads Height: 42 cm Provenance: Private french collection Price: 3.500 euros
Object presented by: Joaquin Pecci T.: +32 477 43 94 12 E.: joaquin.pecci@skynet.be
LOBI SCULPTURE
04 Sculpture Bateba Yadawara Lobi Burkina Faso Estimated period: First half of 20th century Wood Heigth: 20 cm Provenance: Colección J.P. Delcourt, Francia. Colección G.F. Scanzi (1936-2017), Italia. Published in: Scanzi, Giovanni F. L’art traditionnel Lobi. Ed. Milanos, Bergamo, 1993. P. 158. Nº 118-119. Price: SOLD
Object presented by: David Serra T.: +34 (0) 667525597 E.: galeria@davidserra.es
LOBI FIGURE
05 Small figure Lobi Burkina Faso Wood Height : 15,5 cm Provenance : private collection, France Price : 1.500 euros
Object presented by: Nicolas Rolland M.: +33 (0)6 19 89 80 32 E.: contact@nicolasrolland.fr
LOBI FIGURE
06 Figure Lobi Burkina Faso Wood Height : 23 cm Provenance : private collection, France Price : SOLD
Object presented by: Nicolas Rolland M.: +33 (0)6 19 89 80 32 E.: contact@nicolasrolland.fr
LOBI FIGURE
07 Figure Lobi Burkina Faso Wood Height : 30 cm Provenance : private collection, France Price : 1.200 euros
Object presented by: Nicolas Rolland M.: +33 (0)6 19 89 80 32 E.: contact@nicolasrolland.fr
WURKUN HELMET MASK
08 Helmet mask wurkun/bikwin Nigeria Wood, red pigments and crusty patina Height: 161 cm Published in: « Benue River » Galerie Pablo Touchaleaume,2012 p. 28 Price on request
Object presented by: Pablo Touchaleaume M.: +33 (0)6 89 90 75 70 E.: pablo.touchaleaume@hotmail.fr
MAMBILA TRUMPET
09 Anthropomorphic trumpet Mambila Nigeria / Cameroon Carved wood, pigments Height: 47 cm Price: 3.800 euros
Object presented by: Julien Flak M.: +33 6 84 52 81 36 E.: contact@galerieflak.com
This is a rare figural trumpet, a musical instrument used during Mambila rituals. There is a breathtaking strength and expressivity in the carving. The combination of curves and sharp angles convey a strong sense of movement and dynamism to the sculpture. The face, with magnetic intensity in the gaze and a large gaping mouth, retains traces of red and white pigments.
IBIBIO MASK
10 Mask Anyang or Ibibio Cross Rivers region, Nigeria/Cameroon 19th-early 20th century Height: 19,7 cm Provenance: Noble and Jean Endicott, NYC Price: on request
Object presented by: Bruce Frank M.: +1 917 733 9589 E.: bfrank212@aol.com
The Ibibio and Anyang developed a more naturalistic style of depicting the human face. This portrait like mask which fit over the wearer’s face belongs to the category of masks embodying spirits whose physical beauty reflects their high moral standing. This mask has been carved in a very delicate fashion; its structure is very thin. It also exhibits great presence, age and wear.
TIV PILLAR
11 Pillar Tiv Nigeria Around 14th-16th Century Hardwood and patina of use Height: 165 cm Published in: « Benue River » Galerie Pablo Touchaleaume, 2012 p. 38 Price on request
Object presented by: Pablo Touchaleaume M.: +33 (0)6 89 90 75 70 E.: pablo.touchaleaume@hotmail.fr
MAMBILA SCULPTURE
12 Sculpture Mambila Cameroon wood Height: 20 cm Provenance: Pace Gallery, New York There is the label of Pace Price: 1.400 euros
Object presented by: Joaquin Pecci T.: +32 477 43 94 12 E.: joaquin.pecci@skynet.be
BAULE HEDDLE PULLEY
13 Heddle pulley Baule Ivory Coast Wood Height: 20,5 cm Provenance: Pierre and Claude Vérité, Paris Enchères Rive Gauche, 19 June 2006, lot 95 Leslie Sacks, Los Angeles Published in: Maples A. (éd.), African Art from the Leslie Sacks Collec4on, Refined Eye, Passionate Heart, 2013, p. 228 Price: 5.000 euros
Object presented by: Charles-Wesley Hourdé T.: +33 (0)1 42 01 69 82 E.: info@charleswesleyhourde.com
This anthropomorphic heddle pulley stands out for the purity of its shapes, the perfect oval face being topped with a stylized coiffure. The careful indigenous restoraMon on the right « leg » a\ests to the use and anMquity of the object. This elegant piece have been owned by Pierre and Claude Vérité, French collectors and gallerists known for their great eye and taste.
DAN MASK
14 Mask Dan Ivory coast wood Height: 19 cm Provenance: Former Pierre BergĂŠ collection Price: SOLD
Object presented by: Eric Hertault M.: +33 6 15 38 64 81 E.: hertault.eric@gmail.com
DAN MASK
15 Mask Dan Ivory Coast Wood Height : 24 cm Provenance : private collection, France Price : SOLD
Object presented by: Nicolas Rolland M.: +33 (0)6 19 89 80 32 E.: contact@nicolasrolland.fr
DAN SPOON
16 Spoon Dan Ivory Coast Wood Height : 52,5 cm Provenance : private collection, France Price : SOLD
Object presented by: Nicolas Rolland M.: +33 (0)6 19 89 80 32 E.: contact@nicolasrolland.fr
DAN PASSPORT MASK
17 Passport mask Dan Ivory Coast Wood Height: 4,5 cm Price on request
Object presented by: Pablo Touchaleaume M.: +33 (0)6 89 90 75 70 E.: pablo.touchaleaume@hotmail.fr
GURO PULLEY
18 Pulley Guro Ivory coast Wood Height: 17,5 cm Provenance: Former AndrĂŠ Chautems collection, Switzerland Price: SOLD
Object presented by: Eric Hertault M.: +33 6 15 38 64 81 E.: hertault.eric@gmail.com
BAULE PULLEY
19 Pulley Baule Ivory Coast Wood Height: 21 cm Provenance: Private German collection Price: 1.200 euros
Object presented by: Joaquin Pecci T.: +32 477 43 94 12 E.: joaquin.pecci@skynet.be
BENA-LULUA FIGURE
20 Figure Bena-Lulua D.R. of Congo Late 20th Century Wood Height : 15 cm Provenance: Formerly in Umberto Giacomelli’s collection, n° A081, Milan, Italy, acquired in Kinshasa in the 70’s. Price on request
Object presented by: Lucas Ratton M.: +33 1 46 33 06 24 E.: contact@lucasratton.com
This statuette was produced by the Bena-Lulua ethnic group from the southern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Lulua statuary mainly represents ancestors, a primordial cult. These ancestors are most often represented standing and adopting the image of an ideal warrior with his weapon and his shield, named mukalenga wa nkashaama in the vernacular. The other representations, those without military paraphernalia, depict the leader of Leopard society, a spiritual intermediary between the world of the visible and the one of the invisible. In the case of women’s representations, it is possible to find maternities which is then a protective effigy for pregnant women, or figurines with a cup, symbol of protection for women and children. This small figure represents a character standing with light attributes that let us think that it is most probably a feminine representation. The navel is prominent, symbol of life and fertility among the Lulua. The body of this figure is covered with ritual scarifications as were the bodies of the Lulua men and women. The statuette carries in its left hand a small container. It is thus very surely to be a representation for protection of a woman or a child. The beautiful patina testifies the great age repeated ritual use of this statuette.
LEGA MASK
21 Lukwakongo mask Lega D.R. of the Congo Carved wood, pigments and fiber Height: 20,5 cm (31 with beard) Provenance: Ex Neumeister, Munich, 17 May 2014 lot 175 Price on request
Object presented by: Julien Flak M.: +33 6 84 52 81 36 E.: contact@galerieflak.com
This elegant Lega mask combines refinement and great expressivity. It conveys a strong sense of power and mystery. As stated by the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren, Belgium,  Lega masks, worn during Bwami initiations, are usually characterized by a heart-shaped, concave face. In contrast with most other African masks, which hide the wearer’s face, Lega masks can be worn on the side or the back of the head, hung from a beard or carried in the hands. They can also be piled up or grouped on the ground, or suspended from a fence or a pole. The most common type of Lega mask is the small lukwakongo mask, which often has a fibre beard, symbolizing old age. The name is associated with death and the dead. These masks are the personal possessions of the bwami members who have reached yananio, the penultimate level. Although they are not portraits and do not represent a specific ancestor, the masks are heirlooms from former initiates and so evoke happy memories. Most important is the idea that the deceased are not really dead, but go on living through the masks they have left behind, thus allowing their descendants to carry on their traditions. The aphorisms recited as an accompaniment during the rituals refer to the philosophical and moral principles of the bwami. 
GYLE HEADREST
22 Headrest Gyle Ethiopia Wood Heigth: 15,5 cm Provenance: Private collection, Spain Price: 900 euros
Object presented by: David Serra T.: +34 (0) 667525597 E.: galeria@davidserra.es
MAKONDE STOPPER
23 Mtete stopper Makonde Mozambique / Tanzania Estimated period: First half od 20th century Wood Provenance: Private collection, Portugal Price: SOLD
Object presented by: David Serra T.: +34 (0) 667525597 E.: galeria@davidserra.es
NEPALESE MASK
24 Mask West Nepal Wood and metal Height: 38 cm Provenance: Giorgia Crishylles Brussels Price : 1.200 euros
Object presented by: Joaquin Pecci T.: +32 477 43 94 12 E.: joaquin.pecci@skynet.be
GUARDIAN FIGURE
25 Guardian figure West Nepal Wood, white clay and pigments Height : 40 cm Price : 3.700 euros
Object presented by: Frédéric Rond M.: +33 (0)142775848 E.: indian.heritage@yahoo.fr
NEPALESE MASK
26 Primitive mask Nepal, Mid Mountains Wood Height : 22 cm Price : 4.800 euros
Object presented by: Frédéric Rond M.: +33 (0)142775848 E.: indian.heritage@yahoo.fr
NEPALESE CHURN HANDLE
27 Ghurra Milk Churn Handle West Nepal Late 19th Century Height : 21 cm Provenance: Ex- Dalton Somare Gallery Price on request
Object presented by: Joe Loux M.: +1 505 695 6626 E.: joe@joeloux.com
NAGA PENDENT
28 Pendent Naga North East India Brass and beads Height: 7 cm Length: 11 cm Provenance: Duchesse de Luxembourg bought it in the early s 80 Price: 750 euros
Object presented by: Joaquin Pecci T.: +32 477 43 94 12 E.: joaquin.pecci@skynet.be
HIMACHAL MASK
29 Mask for Fagli celebrations after winter Kullu region, Himachal Pradesh, India Wood Height : 45 cm Price on request
Object presented by: Frédéric Rond M.: +33 (0)142775848 E.: indian.heritage@yahoo.fr
INDONESIAN FIGURE
30 Figure Ata Oro, Indonesia Early 20th Century Height : 18,5 cm Provenance: Field collected by Davide Manfredi Ex- Jonathan Hope Price on request
Object presented by: Joe Loux M.: +1 505 695 6626 E.: joe@joeloux.com
BALINESE HANDLE
31 Handle from Betel Nut Crusher Bali Late 19th century Horn Heght.: 10,8 cm Price on request
Object presented by: Bruce Frank M.: +1 917 733 9589 E.: bfrank212@aol.com
This beautiful Balinese handle is carved from horn and possesses an incredibly worn patina from generations of handling. The figure is curled into an almost fetal like position holding his hands to his face; this is done with fascinating precision. Objects of this quality would only be owned by important society members. In excellent condition.
BATAK DAGGER HANDLE
32 Dagger Handle Batak Sumatra 19th Century Bronze Height: 17 cm Price on request
Object presented by: Bruce Frank M.: +1 917 733 9589 E.: bfrank212@aol.com
Metal objects in Batak culture are reserved for important rituals and important individuals; metal smiths are actually feared because of their special knowledge. This rare bronze dagger handle is cast in superb detail, with engravings throughout. The handle curves into a Singa with a triangular area of negative space underneath; crawling up the back of the handle is a beautifully detailed lizard. The color of the bronze is a deep golden brown with a well handled patina from long periods of use.
KORWAR FLOAT
33 Float Korwar Papua New Guinea Wood Heigth: 16 cm Price: 1.900 euros
Object presented by: Pablo Touchaleaume M.: +33 (0)6 89 90 75 70 E.: pablo.touchaleaume@hotmail.fr
SEPIK HOOK
34 Hook Mundugomor people Sépik River., Papua New Guinea. Early 20th Century. Wood with some pigments and eroded patina Height: 82 cm Provenance: Acquired in the year 60 near the Marienberg Mission, New Guinea. Former French private collection. Published in : « Collecteurs d’Ames » 6 dic. 2006 – 4 march 2007. Musée des beaux-arts de Rennes. P.81 Price: 15.000 euros
Object presented by: Laurent Dodier M.: + 33 6 08 22 68 15 E.: laurentdodier@wanadoo.fr
Important suspension hook representing a male ancestor. The head is decorated with a short beak brought over the mouth, it is surmounted by an animal on all fours.
ABELAM HEADDRESS
35 Headdress Abelam Mts. Maprik, Papua New Guinea Wood and pigments Heigth: 57 cm Provenance: Galeria Arte y Ritual, Spain. Private collection, Spain. Price: 1.500 euros
Object presented by: David Serra T.: +34 (0) 667525597 E.: galeria@davidserra.es
ABORIGINAL SHIELD
36 Aboriginal shield Australia Carved wood and pigments Early 20th Century Height: 66,5 cm Provenance: Ex collection Lord Alistair McAlpine (1942-2014) Ex collection Todd Barlin, Sydney (inv. TB 1453) Price: 4.800 euros
Object presented by: Julien Flak M.: +33 6 84 52 81 36 E.: contact@galerieflak.com
This war shield was used to parry hits by spears or boomerangs. They also played in role in intiations and rituals. Such shields were actively traded throughout Western and Central Australia. The colored motifs on the surface of the shield were totemic symbols related to the « songlines ». In his 1987 book The Songlines, British novelist and travel writer, Bruce Chatwin describes the songlines as: “...the labyrinth of invisible pathways which meander all over Australia and are known to Europeans as ‘Dreaming-tracks’ or ‘Songlines’; to the Aboriginals as the ‘Footprints of the Ancestors’ or the ‘Way of the Law’. Aboriginal Creation myths tell of the legendary totemic being who wandered over the continent in the Dreamtime, singing out the name of everything that crossed their path - birds, animals, plants, rocks, waterholes - and so singing the world into existence.” This shield will be exhibited by the Galerie Flak at MATA New York, 10-12 May 2019 on Madison Avenue.
“KAP KAP” ORNAMENT
37 Kap Kap ornament Santa Cruz Islands shell Dia: 12 cm Provenance: Price: 2.200 euros
Object presented by: Pablo Touchaleaume M.: +33 (0)6 89 90 75 70 E.: pablo.touchaleaume@hotmail.fr
FIJIAN CANNIBAL FORK
38 Cannibal fork Fiji Islands Wood Length: 25,5 cm Provenance: ChrisMe’s, 3 July 1990, lot 81 Private collecMon Price: 5.000 euros
Object presented by: Charles-Wesley Hourdé T.: +33 (0)1 42 01 69 82 E.: info@charleswesleyhourde.com
FIJIAN FORK
39 Meat fork Icula or Bulutoko Viti Levu, Fiji Islands Height: 29 cm Provenance: Ex collection Leo & Lillian Fortess collection (#169G), Honolulu Ex collection Eric & Esther Fortess, Boston Price: 4.800 euros
Object presented by: Julien Flak M.: +33 6 84 52 81 36 E.: contact@galerieflak.com
These forks were carved in order to respect the taboo associated with ranking members (chiefs and priests) of Fijian society that prohibited them to touch food with their hands or lips. Such forks are often referred to as “cannibal forks�. The triangular flying fox head finial and carved motifs on the handle on this fork are particularly noteworthy features. The Fiji Museum in Suva has a closely related figural fork in their collection (inv. #FM-58.122).
ESKIMO FIGURES
40 A group of human figures Ancient Eskimo, Alaska Thule Culture 12th - 17th Century Carved walrus tooth Height: from 3,2 cm to 9,5 cm Prices: on request
Object presented by: Julien Flak M.: +33 6 84 52 81 36 E.: contact@galerieflak.com
Stylization of features, alliance of naturalism and symbolism, sculptural finesse, sobriety and a hieratic quality—these are the key features characterizing Ancient Eskimo art from Alaska. Fascinating manifestos tracing the development of culture and survival in the environs of the North Pole, archaic Eskimo cultures have left an exceptional artistic legacy in the form of marine ivory sculptures of an incomparable expressivity. According to Fitzhugh et Kaplan (see Inua: Spirit World of the Bering Sea Eskimo, 1982 : 156), these shamanic figurines were carved for several purposes: to stand in for people absent from the village during festivals, to avert infertility, or else to focus the attention of animal inua (spirit) during the Doll Festival, which was held to bless hunting and fishing expeditions in the coming year.
KACHINA DOLLS
41 Two Kachina dolls Zuni, New Mexico, USA Mid-20th Century Carved polychrome wood, cotton, wool, feathers, horsehair… Price: 2.000 euros each
Object presented by: Julien Flak M.: +33 6 84 52 81 36 E.: contact@galerieflak.com
“Kachina”: one word says it all! For the Hopi and Zuni (Pueblo peoples) in the American southwest, “Kachina” (plural “Katsinam”) means wooden statuette, masked dancer or deity. There are hundreds of different Kachina gods and spirits in Pueblo pantheons. Each one of those beings has its own costume,symbols and colors. The doll to the right is known among the Zuni as Upikaiapona, or “Downy Feathers Hanging” kachina, the doll on the left is Salimopia, the white warrior, a member of the Council of the Gods. This kachina guards the entrance to the ceremonial chambers of the Zuni Sacred Lake and serves as a messenger of the gods. It plays a primordial role in Zuni initiation ceremonies.
CHIMU FIGURE
42 Figure Chimu, civilization North Coast , Peru 1100-1400 AD Hardwood with a black crusty patina Height: 65,2 cm Provenance: M. l’Ambassadeur Jean LecannellierBlainville Price: 12.000 euros
Object presented by: Laurent Dodier M.: + 33 6 08 22 68 15 E.: laurentdodier@wanadoo.fr
Top of funerary post carved on top with a standing figure, adorned with a necklace of pearls, hands gathered on the chest. He wears a rectangular hairstyle held by a headband.
