Terracotta Storage Vessel, Probably Lobi, Burkina Faso

Nicole and John Dintenfass, New York
Sotheby's, New York, November 18 and 20, 2000, lot 44, consigned by the above
Liz Claiborne and Arthur Ortenberg, New York, acquired at the above auction

Good condition for an object of this type, age, and material. Scattered small losses to points. Marks, nicks, scratches, abrasions, chips, small losses, and cracks consistent with age and use. Fine aged patina with encrustation.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

According to Roy (in Wheelock and Roy 2006: 81), "With only a few isolated exceptions (there are Mossi men who make pottery), all pottery in Burkina Faso is made by women and almost all of them are the wives of smiths, or if you prefer, blacksmiths.  There are only a dozen or so large smith families in Burkina Faso, of whom the best known are the Kientega and the Bamogo families.  The Traoré smiths live in the east.  [...] A visitor to a village in Burkina Faso may quickly find his way to the neighborhood where women are making pottery, and their husbands are forging iron tools."

Roy suggests that vessels like the present lot have twofold function and meaning: he continues (ibid.: 82): "It is quite apparent that [fired clay vessels in Burkina Faso] are metaphors for the protective, nurturing character of the body of a woman.  Just as a woman's body protects the fetus, so too, the clay vessel protects grain and water from spoilage and disease. [...] The jars with numerous pointy nubbins are water storage jars that cool the contents through evaporation, similar to a radiator."

For a related lidded pot, see Wheelock and Roy (2006: 457, fig. 555).  Roy (ibid.) notes that "Pots with nubbins are not [...] exclusive to the Lobi."