**Originally Listed At $400**

West Africa, Ghana, Ashanti (Asante) people, ca. 20th century CE. A gorgeous hand-carved wooden hair ornament and comb, with long teeth and a figural handle surmounted on the top. The long teeth of the comb point down from a rectangular body that forms the lower portion or hips of the figural handle. Two delineated arms rest on the hips; the upper torso displays small rounded breasts, and a tall neck that supports an oversized rounded head. The stylized face is carved in relief with small incised lines on the cheeks that indicate ritualistic tattoos or scars. African combs decorated with elaborate handles are a tradition in Africa that dates back as far as the tombs of ancient Egypt, and in Ghana, combs have been excavated at Dawu that date to the 17th century CE. These ornate combs are usually for women and given as gifts to commemorate important events in her life, such as coming of age or marriage. Size: 9.75" L x 3" W (24.8 cm x 7.6 cm); 10.25" H (26 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-collection of Dr. Edward A. Spiegel (1931-2020) professor of astronomy at New York University and Columbia University who worked on convection theory and on the application of fluid dynamics to astrophysics and was the first to discover Chaos Theory. As a professor, students enjoyed his accounts of his meetings with other famous scientists such as Paul Dirac and Stephen Hawking.

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

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#161330

Missing two comb teeth. Stable hairline fissures on head. Abrasions, nicks and scratches to surfaces. Nice patina.