ƒ BOKI HEADDRESS NIGERIA CREST Height: 25.5 cm.... Lot 31

ƒ BOKI HEADDRESS NIGERIA CREST Height: 25.5 cm. (10 in.) US$17,000-27,000 PROVENANCE Henri Kamer (1927-1992), Henri A. Kamer Galerie, New York Collection James and Marilynn Alsdorf, Chicago, acquired from the latter on 20 January 1971 This magnificent sculpture was originally a crest standing on the dancer's head, held in place by a basket. Through its iconography and stylistic singularities, it is attributed to the Boki people living on the north course of the Cross River. The Boki's scarifications decorate the face: a row - in ladder form - of temporal keloids and two engraved lines that adorn the cheeks, stretching from the eyes to the chin and back of the face. The delicately curved eye cavities underline the almond-shaped eyes and accentuate the protruding nasal bridge. The nostrils, like the lips, are treated in a powerful and subtle shape. The mouth, stretching across the face, wide open to the teeth, gives the crest a certain aggressiveness. This head is similar to the one in the old Ben Heller collection (Sotheby's, Paris, 12 June 2012, lot 69). The latter shares with our copy the composition of the scarifications, the presence of a beard and a carved coifure. Another similar example is preserved in the collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum (inv. no. 1015-54). For a final example see the Hecht Collection (Sieber, R. and Hecht, B., Eastern Nigerian Art from the Toby and Barry Hecht Collection, in African Arts, vol. 35, No. 1, 2002, p. 66). These three heads, like our recently rediscovered copy, are distinguished by their high sculptural quality. To bid, please visit the "Sales Information" section.