CHAIRS & BACKRESTS
F r o m E t h i o ip a
AND BACKRESTS
FROM ETHIOPIA & BEYOND…
African chairs and backrests were more than just pieces of furniture to sit and rest on, they were important symbols of title and prestige. Ethiopian high-backed chairs figured prominently in the installation of chiefs among different cultures in southern Ethiopia, serving as symbols of rank and entitlement during meetings and gatherings of council elders. Members of wealthier families from the Jimma and related cultures in the 19th Century kept and used these seats as household objects, they were no doubt admired for their beauty as well as their functionality.
Carved from a single block of carefully chosen ‘Wanza’ wood, each chair is an artistic expression with its own distinct character and sculptural identity.
In this catalogue I also share some examples of other highbacked chairs and backrests from further south into Eastern Africa and across into Western Africa.
My personal love affair with African seats has spanned nearly 40 years, as time moves on they become increasingly hard to replace. I hope you enjoy this selection as much as I have enjoyed curating them.
Bryan
1. High Backed Chair
Jinka Region, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 75 cm
2. Large High Backed Chair
Wollega, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 90 cm
3. High Backed Chair
Jimma, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 180 cm
4. High Backed Chair
Jimma, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 76 cm
5. High Backed Chair
Wolayita, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 57 cm
6. Low Reclining Chair/Backrest
Gurage, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 64 cm
Chairs and Backrests: From Ethiopia & Beyond
7. Rare High Backed Chair
Selale, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 90 cm
Chairs and Backrests: From Ethiopia & Beyond
8. High Backed Chieftains Chair
Nyamwezi, Tanzania
First half 20th Century
H: 90 cm
Chairs and Backrests: From Ethiopia & Beyond
9. Low Reclining Chair/Backrest
Gurage, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 76 cm
Chairs and Backrests: From Ethiopia & Beyond
10. Small High Backed Chair
Welayta, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 70 cm
11. High Backed Chair
Gurage, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 84 cm
Chairs and Backrests: From Ethiopia & Beyond
12. Large Rare High
Backed Throne
Jimma Region, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 99 cm
13. Reclining Backrest/Chair
Gurage, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 76 cm
14. Small Chair
Dan, Ivory Coast
1st Quarter 20th Century
H: 46 cm
15. Large High Backed Chair Jinka Region, Ethiopia 19th Century H: 100 cm
Chairs and Backrests: From Ethiopia & Beyond
16. High Backed Chair Jinka, Ethiopia 19th Century
H: 91 cm
17. High Backed Chair
Gindabarat, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 72 cm
18. Low Reclining Backrest
Lobi, Burkina Faso
Early 20th Century
L: 103 cm
19. High Backed Chair Gindabarat, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 77 cm
20. Small High Backed Chair
Oromo Region, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 70 cm
Chairs and Backrests: From Ethiopia & Beyond
21. Small Rare Elder’s Chair
Kamba, Kenya
Early 20th Century
H: 45 cm
Chairs and Backrests: From Ethiopia & Beyond
22.
Wollega, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 90 cm
High Backed Chair
23. Small High Backed Chair
Jinka Region, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
H: 61 cm
Chairs and Backrests: From Ethiopia & Beyond
24. High Backed Chair
Jinka, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 18 cm
25.
Zambia/Zimbabwe
Colonial Period
H: 50 cm
Miniature Chair
26. Rare High Backed Chair
Welayta, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 86 cm
27. Large Rare Throne
Gurage, Ethiopia
19th Century
H: 120 cm
Chairs and Backrests: From Ethiopia & Beyond
28. Low Reclining Seat
Gurage, Ethiopia
19th Century
L: 77 cm
1. High Backed Chair
Jinka Region, Ethiopia
19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
Height: 75 cm
£1450
2. Large High Backed Chair
Wollega Culture, Ethiopia
19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
Height: 90 cm
£2400
3. High Backed Chair
Jimma, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
£1500
4. High Backed Chair
Jimma Culture, Oromo Region, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
Height: 76 cm
£1450
5. High Back Chair
Wolayita Region, Ethiopia 19th Century
Ex Family Collection, Tekalegn Besepa
Addis Ababa
Height: 57 cm
£1500
6. Low Reclining Chair/Backrest
Gaurage Culture, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
Height: 64 cm
£950
7. Rare High-Backed Chair
Selale, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Family Collection,Tekalegn Besepa
Addis Ababa
Height: 90 cm
£2100
8. High Backed Chieftains Chair
Nyamwezi Culture, Tanzania
1st Half 20th Century
Ex Private Collection Bryan Reeves
Height: 90 cm
POR
9. Low Reclining Chair/Backrest
Gaurage Culture, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
Height: 76 cm
£1100
10. Small High-Backed Chair
Welayta, Wolayita Region,Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Family Collection, Tekalegn Besepa
Addis Ababa
Height: 70 cm
£850
11. High-Backed Chair
Gurage Culture, Ethiopia
19th Century
Ex Family Collection,Tekalegn Besepa
Addis Ababa
Height: 84 cm
£1650
12. Large Rare High Backed Chair/Throne
Jimma Region, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Height: 99 cm
£3200
13. Reclining Backrest/Chair
Gurage Culture, Ethiopia
19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
Height: 76 cm
£1250
14. Small Chair
Dan Culture, Ivory Coast
1st Half 20th Century
Ex Private Collection, UK
Height: 46 cm
£780
15. Large High Backed Chair
Jinka Region, Ethiopia
19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
Height: 100 cm
£2250
16. High-Backed Chair
Jinka Culture, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Family Collection,(Tekalegn Besepa)
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Height: 91 cm
£1800
17. High Backed Chair
Gindabarat, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
Height: 72 cm
£1150
18. Low Reclining Backrest
Lobi Culture, Burkina Faso
Early 20th Century
Ex Private Collection, UK
Length: 103 cm
£870
19. High Backed Chair
Gindabarat, Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
Height: 77 cm
£1450
20. Small High-Backed Chair
Wollega Culture, Oromo Region, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Height: 70 cm
£1150
21. Small Rare Elder's Chair
Kamba, Kenya
Early 20th Century
Ex Private Collection, Sweden
Height: 45 cm
£1100
22. High Backed Chair
Wollega, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Collection, London
Height: 90 cm
£1350
23. Small High Backed Chair
Jinka Region, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Abbis Ababa
Height: 61 cm
£870
24. High Backed Chair
Jinka Region, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa
Height: 18 cm
£1400
25. Miniature Chair
Zambia or Zimbabwe
Colonial Period
Ex Private Collection, UK
Height: 50 cm
£540
26. Rare High Backed Chair
Welayta,Ethiopia
19th Century
Ex Family Collection,Tekalegn Besepa
Addis Ababa
Height: 86 cm
£2100
27. Large Rare High-Backed Throne
Gurage Culture, Ethiopia
19th Century
Ex Private Collection, London
Height: 120 cm
POR
28. Low Reclining Seat
Gurage Culture, Ethiopia
Late 19th Century
Ex Family Collection, Tekalegn Besepa
Addis Ababa
Length: 77 cm
£1500
Please go to this link for more images and details on each piece:
https://www.tribalgatheringlondon.com/exhibitions/chairs-andbackrests-from-ethiopian-and-beyond Tribal Gathering London (Gallery) 335 Ladbroke Grove Notting Hill, London, W10 6HA
T- +44 7939 166 148 art@tribalgatheringlondon.com
‘Celebrating 40 years in business’
Catalogue Design: Samuel Reeves
