A Baule Royal Necklace, "komignammon" Lot n° 23

Courtly necklace, "komignammon" Akan, Ghana / Côte d'Ivoire Ohne Sockel / without base Gold alloys in various degrees of fineness. L 56 cm. Provenance: Gallery Walu, Zurich. The precious metal of the former "Gold Coast" of Africa was for centuries the interest and desire of African and European merchants. Through trade, powerful states rose whose wealth and skill in gold processing became legend. Thus, masterful pieces of jewelry were created at the local royal courts, many of which were made using the lost wax process. Even today, gold jewelry serves as a sign of rank and affiliation of the royal families. The strong expressiveness of these unique pieces reflects the rich metaphors of the Baule and is based on the tradition of the highly esteemed art of oratory. The depicted motifs always refer to persons, animals or objects, which allegorically stand for praiseworthy qualities and aphorisms. The geometric motifs are miniatures of shields and doors. Worn on the chest, they protect the owner (shield), who can open or close to the opposite person depending on the situation (door). Further reading: Ross, Doran and Eisner, Georg (2008). The gold of the Akan. Museum Liaunig. Neuhaus: Museumsverwaltung GmbH. CHF 1 200 / 1 400 EUR 1 200 / 1 400