A RARE AND IMPORTANT BAGA HEADDRESS AND ALTAR PIECE, Guinea

Ernest Ascher, Paris
Chaim and Renee Gross, New York, acquired from the above in 1951

Museum of Replica Handbags s, Boston, Masterpieces of Primitive Art, October 16 - November 23, 1958
Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C., The Sculptor's Eye: The African Art collects ion of Mr. and Mrs. Chaim Gross, 1976 (additional venues: Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, November 5, 1976 - January 2, 1977; Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, Athens, March 27 - May 1, 1977; Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, May 17 - July 17, 1977)
The Museum for African Art, New York, Art of the Baga, October 4, 1996 - January 5, 1997 (additional venue: The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, January 24 - April 20, 1997)

Museum of Replica Handbags s Boston (ed.), Masterpieces of Primitive Art, Boston, 1958, p. 8, cat. 10 (not ill.)
Warren M. Robbins, African Art in American collects ions, New York, 1966, p. 67, fig. 44
Arnold Rubin, The Sculptor's Eye, Washington, D.C., 1976, p. 33, cat. 22
Frederick J. Lamp, Art of the Baga, New York, 1996, p. 89, fig. 60

Good condition overall for an object of this age; surface heavily eroded as seen on photographs; insect damage on bottom leading through hemispherical base and up the proper left side of the neck (maximum width 1/2 of an inch); aged medium brown patina.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any stat.mes nt made by Replica Shoes 's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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For another closely-related example in the Field Museum, Chicago, see Lamp (1996: 88, cat. 59). These superb sculptures represent a human head with a beak and are small versions of the altarpieces commonly known as a-Tshol/Nach/Elek/Mbeleket, a tutelary effigy that was present at funerals of important.mes mbers of the community. According to Lamp (ibid.: text to cat. 59), "small versions of the a-Tshol are numerous and usually bear holes around the base, indicating they were [also] danced."