Our catalogue > Metalwork of Tribal Africa

Bronze and brass casting have a long history in Africa, partly because of the abundant local supply of copper ore.

The pieces shown here, all of which are for sale, have been carefully selected for their artistic merit, their patina and their provenance.

Each piece has been sourced from within the UK, often from old, colonial-era collections.

Also see our sculptural and ritual works from tribal Africa in other media.

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9376

Rare Dogon Brass Talismanic Pendant Showing Five Ancestor Figures

Burkina Faso or Mali
circa 19th century

height: 7.3cm, width: 10.8cm, weight: 153g

Provenance

UK art market

9374

African Dogon Cast Brass Pendant of a Seated, Bound Female Slave

Dogon People, Mali
19th century or earlier

height: 6.7cm, weight: 134g

Provenance

UK art market

9377

Fine & Rare African Senufo Brass Ancestor Pendant

Senufo or Dan People, Ivory Coast or Liberia
circa 1930

width: 13.5cm, height: 6.2cm, weight: 198g

Provenance

UK art market

9293

Fine Baule Cast Brass Necklace

Baule People, Ivory Coast
early 20th century

circumference: approximately 81cm, weight: 184g

Provenance

private collection, US

9079

Mongo Currency Anklet

Mongo People, central Congo
19th-early 20th century

width: approximately 14.2cm, height: 11.7cm, weight: 4,038g

Provenance

UK art market

6799

Pair of Nigerian Cast & Engraved Bronze Bangles

Lower Niger River, Nigeria
early 20th century

external diameter (widest): 9.9 to 10.1cm, internal diameter: 5.4 to 5.9cm, combined weight: 1,330g

Provenance

UK art market

6653

Pair of Yoruba Bronze Ogboni Initiate’s Eden Staves

Yoruba People, Nigeria
19th century

height (with stand): 24.3cm, weight (with stand): 684g

Provenance

UK art market

6490

Fang Gilded Bronze Torque

Fang People, Gabon/Cameroon
circa 19th century

diameter: at widest point: 19cm, thickness: 3.8cm, weight: 2,217g

Provenance

private collection, London.

4474

Yoruba Cast Brass Opele Oracle Chain

Yoruba People, Nigeria
19th century

circumference: approx.: 96cm, weight: 178g

Provenance

UK art market

4476

Early, Ashanti Gold Weight Modelled on a Bifurcated Knife (Afenata)

Ashanti People, Ghana
17th century

length: 12.3cm, width: 8.2cm, weight: 107g

Provenance

private collection, London.

5940

Exceptional Pair of Igbo Man’s Cast Brass Wrist Guards or Cuff Bracelets

Igbo People, South-central and South-eastern Nigeria
probably 19th century

heights: 17cm, diameters: 10.7cm, combined weights: 1,150g

Provenance

UK art market

4196

Three Solid Copper Mossi African Hairpins

Mossi People, Burkina Faso
19th century

7.5-9cm

Provenance

Private collection, London.

4624

Cast Brass Senufo Ring

Senufo People, Ivory Coast
19th or early 20th century

weight: 19.6g, ring size: 10.75 (US), V/V (UK)

Provenance

UK art market

4047

Woman’s Brass & Beaded Headdress & Ear Ornament Set

Kikuyu People, Kenya
early 20th century

diameter of each spiral : 8.8cm; length of headdress: 38cm, total weight: 325g

Provenance

UK art market

2850

Cast Brass Pendant & Brass Bead Necklace

Asante/Ashanti, Ghana, West Africa
early 20th century

length of pendant: 12.5cm, length of chain: 66cm, weight: 193g

Provenance

UK art market

4279

Chief’s Bronze ‘Tiered’ Anklet with Bells

Gio or Dan & Wee People, Liberia & Cote d’Ivoire
19th century

outside diameter: 11.5cm, inside diameter: 7.5cm x 8.5cm, height: 4.3cm, weight: 517g

Provenance

UK art market

4046

Rare Cast Brass Necklace

Vere People, North-Eastern Nigeria & Cameroon
19th century

length: 69cm, weight: 1,303g

Provenance

UK art market

3104

Pair of Yoruba Bronze Ogboni Staves

Yoruba People, Nigeria
19th century

heights: 22cm, combined wight: 881g

Provenance

acquired from the estate of Dr Peter Sharratt (d. 2014). Sharratt was a linguist and lecturer in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures at the University of Edinburgh who published on Renaissance French sculpture. In his private life, he was an avid collector of tribal art, building up his collection over fifty years. During that time, he bought from UK dealers, collectors and auction houses.

3091

Rare Pair of Ijebu-Yoruba Bronze Ceremonial Anklets

Nigeria
18th century

diameter: 19cm

Provenance

private collection, Isle of Wight, UK.

4462

Nine Copper ‘X’ Currency Crosses

Luba & Yeke People, Katanga Province, Congo
19th century

typical diameter of a cross: 22.5cm Note: Each of these has a custom-made stand - each can be sold separately, or as part of a group.

Provenance

private collection, UK

1880

Cast Brass ‘Chief’s Stool’ Ring with Traces of Gilding

Akan People, Ghana/Ivory Coast
18th-19th century

height: 4cm, weight: 40g

Provenance

Private Collection, Germany, acquired 1960-81

1871

Cast Brass Trophy Head Ring with Traces of Gold

Baule, Mali
18th-19th century

length of bezel: 3.5cm, weight: 17g, ring size (UK): L, (US): 5.75

Provenance

Private Collection, Germany, acquired 1960-81

1879

Ashanti Cast Brass “Double Crocodile” Ring, Ghana

Ashanti, Ghana
18th-19th century

diameter of bezel: 4.7cm, weight: 35g

Provenance

Private Collection, Germany, acquired 1960-81

1882

Akan Cast Brass ‘Sword Hilt’ Ring

Akan, Ghana/Ivory Coast
18th-19th century

height: 4.5cm, weight: 22g

Provenance

Private Collection, Germany, acquired 1960-81

1869

Dogon Cast Brass Fertility Pendant

Dogon People, Mali
19th century

height: 4.3cm, weight: 15g

Provenance

Private Collection, Germany, acquired 1960-81

1874

Akan Cast Brass ‘Seed Pod Cluster’ Ring with Traces of Gilding

Akan, Ghana/Ivory Coast
18th-19th century

width: 4cm, weight: 13g

Provenance

Private Collection, Germany, acquired 1960-81

1873

Akan Cast Brass Peanut Ring or Pendant

Akan, Ghana/Ivory Coast
18th-19th century

height: 5cm, weight: 16g

Provenance

Private Collection, Germany, acquired 1960-81