CHOKWE
Prestige pipe
Among the thousands of works carved by the Chokwe people, tobacco pipes like this one are a real rarity. The few pieces of comparable quality are in museums.
Depicted is "Tipoye", a common variation of "hammock travel" in Africa, reserved for dignitaries. In the late 19th century, the tipoye motif was used as a symbol of colonization in many carvings.
RDC , 51 cm
Late 19th/ early 20th century
Acquired 1930s by Hans Himmelheber in situ
Wood, metal, tobacco patina
Published in “Fiction Congo” 2019
Exhibited Musuem Rietberg, Zürich, 2019
MARKET DEBUT: 2023
