Beaded Flywhisk-Double Leopard - Tribal Art
A gorgeously made beaded flywhisk. The handle is beautifully decorated with red and white beads in a checkered pattern. The handle is topped with a two-headed leopard figure delicately fashioned from the red, black and yellow beads. The body of the figure is decorated with a leopard pattern of red spots with yellow trim on black. The figure has two unique heads. One is blue and yellow with red lips. The other is red and sports a set of large black fangs. The tail of the whisk is fashioned from a beautiful mane of dark brown horse hair.
Dimensions approx. 68 (134) x 36 x 14 cm
Beaded art from the Cameroon Grasslands collected between 1985 and 2005. Rulers throughout the many Kingdoms in the Cameroon Grassland region (Bamileke –Bamum -Tikar) employed a range of Regalia to assert their political, economic and religious power. Presented publicly in lavish displays of wealth and power, many court objects were distinguished by their elaborate bead embroidery. Imported from Venice, Bohemia or Amsterdam, glass beads were considered a luxury material whose use and distribution were controlled by the King. The decoration of objects with vast quantities of brilliantly colored beads transformed utilitarian objects into symbols of royal status and prestige.
All lots are in the state the collector acquire them. No restorations or cleaning has been performed.
745