110 Main Street, Gallatin (Nashville), TN, United States
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Ethnographic Art & Artifacts: Includes Native American, Pre-Columbian, African, and Asian Art from several prominent collections including important items from:<br>
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- Estates of Dr. Ora & Eleanor Eads of Nashville, Tennessee.*; <br>
- Jim "Hobo" Varsos (Alaska's Hobo Jim) of Soldotna, Alaska and Nashville, Tennessee*; <br>
- Dr. Stefan Petrescu, award winning concert violinist, Nashville, Tennessee and Sarasota, Florida;<br>
- Estate of Robert Wells, Arlington, Texas; <br>
- Don Poythress, Singer / Songwriter, Nashville, Tennessee.<br>
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* Estate of Dr. Ora & Eleanor Eads, of Nashville, Tennessee. The Eads' Ethnographic Art & Artifacts collection is estimated to have included over one thousand rare and important items. In addition to the Eads Museum, portions of the collection are held in several museums and prominent public and private collections. Each artifact was carefully selected by the Eads for its significance and scarcity, acquired from the most reputable museums, private collections and dealers. The Eads' original documents relating to their lifetimes of collecting are held in the permanent archives at Tennessee Tech University.<br>
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* Jim "Hobo" Varsos (Alaska's Hobo Jim) of Soldotna, Alaska and Nashville, Tennessee. World famous American folk singer-songwriter, and one of the most popular guitar players in Alaska. In 1994, Hobo Jim was named Alaska's official balladeer. A Life-long collector of rare art and artifacts from around the world, including Native American, Asian and African Art.<br>
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* Dr. Stefan Petrescu has won numerous prizes as a violin soloist in his native Romania and has performed throughout Europe in cities such as Paris, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Bucharest as well as various cities in the United States including Cincinnati, New Orleans, and Nashville. He was concert master of the Constanta Symphony Orchestra in Romania both at home and during their tours in America and Western Europe. When not performing solos or chamber music, he composes for violin and has recorded a number of CDs which include both his own works and those of Vivaldi, Bruch, Sinding, Piazzolla, Vaughn Williams, and Milhaud. Mr. Petrescu is currently performing as concert master of the Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra. He holds degrees from the George Enescu academy.
The auction has ended
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LOT 343:
18th c. African Head of an Oba, Edo Peoples, Benin
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Sold for: $2,000
Start price:
$
250
Estimated price :
$5,000 - $10,000
Buyer's Premium: 25%
More details
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18th c. African Head of an Oba, Edo Peoples, Benin
Late 18th Century Century African Brass Copper Head of an Edo Oba [King], Nigerian, Court of Benin | The overall cylindrical shape, beaded collar covering the chin, and addition of bead clusters to the crown identify this Benin brass head as belonging to the eighteenth century. The three raised marks above each eye, called ikharo, believed to represent scarification marks also indicagte 18th or early 19th Century. Men would usually have three marks, while women and foreigners would wear four. The pointed oval eyes are outlined with heavy stylized rims, which are not decorated with incisions like those of later examples. Additionally there is no wide-lipped flange at the base of the head, which became an integral component of later nineteenth-century heads | Approx. Size: 10" H x 6.5" W; Approx. Weight: 9.5 lbs. Some corrosion that can be cleaned / removed, other signs of age. One of the first duties of a new Edo oba, or king, is to establish an altar to his father and commission artists to create objects to adorn it. The altar serves both as a tribute to the deceased oba and a point of contact with his spirit. This cast-brass head would have been placed on such an altar. Its red color and shiny surface make it both beautiful frightening, appropriate attributes for a powerful monarch. The high collar and beaded headpiece represent the coral-beaded costume worn by reigning obas. References: Webster, William Downing. Illustrated Catalogue of Ethnological Specimens, European and Eastern Arms and Armor, Prehistoric and Other Curiosities. Vol. vol. 28, no. 57. London: Oxon, 1895–;Catalogue of Primitive Art. London: Sotheby & Co., July 8, 1974, no. 83;Vogel, Susan M. African Sculpture: The Shape of Surprise. Greenvale, NY: C.W. Post Art Gallery, 1980, no. 77;Dark, Philip J.C. An Illustrated Catalogue of Benin Art. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1982; and, Ezra, Kate. Royal Art of Benin: The Perls Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1992, fig.
