Bamileke Pipe Case, Cameroon, Early 20th Century.

Pipe bowl modeled after a generously shaped figure, hands resting on the lower part of his chin in a symbolic gesture. His face displays an angry expression, accentuated by the open mouth showing his teeth, the domed forehead, and the brow ridges represented by incisions. His coffee bean eyes give him a vigilant gaze. Terracotta, old brown patina, signs of use. Bamileke, Cameroon, early 20th century. Dimensions: 12.5 × 5 cm. Provenance: Former collection from the Bordeaux region, formed in the 1970s–1980s. Sold with a black iron base and a certificate of authenticity from the expert Serge Reynes. Guaranteed to be original and of the period. "Among the Bamileke, pipes modeled in terracotta were not limited to everyday use: they were also invested with a ritual and social dimension. Reserved for notables and dignitaries, they constituted visible signs of prestige. The expressive modeling of this bowl, with its open mouth and incised arches, conveys a voluntary, almost protective intensity. The tobacco smoke, inhaled or blown, participated in practices of mediation with the ancestors or in moments of solemn gathering, where it symbolized the passage and circulation between worlds. The plastic force of this anthropomorphic head therefore reinforces the idea of an object that is at once utilitarian, identity-defining and charged with spiritual values." * Shipping costs on estimate.