African Bracelets and Anklets.
Mixed media. All in good condition. Largest is 7"diameter. Brass Anklet from Liberia 20th c. - Each bracelet weighs about 1.25 pounds and a wife would wear many of them on her ankle - according to J.W. Chase, this was supposed to discourage the wives from running away. "The heavy brass anklet rings with beaded (bumps) are the emblem worn by the chief's wife."(see: Afro American Art & Craft By Chase) - They are considered an ornament and a sign of rank. Made by the Dan-Ngere Tribes of Liberia. The Anklets without the beads were worn by slaves to display affluence of the slave-owner. Small closed brass anklet with a hinge. Hand-woven bracelets and rings made of dyed dried grass from Liberia. Provenance: The Acacia Collection and The Old Slave Mart Museum. Est. $1,000-2,000. Ship: $65