Wooden face mask decorated with white, blue, and red paint; mouth carved in an oval, eyes have triangular lids with blue dots, chin has blue dots, cheeks have red and white dots, forehead has blue dots and white V-lines, straw beard; string attached to two nails in back; origin Ndaka people of the Ituri rainforest.
Wooden ceremonial mask made for the Bwadi ya Kifwebe association, a group that polices social behavior and neutralizes disruptive elements within the Luba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The masks are worn in a variety of ceremonies.
Ivory replica of a European shoehorn; profile of a woman with sculptured hair, black holes for eyes; torso resembles woman wearing a dress in the shape of a shoehorn; origin Mangbetu people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Front and back views of a metal lunchbox and thermos depicting scenes from the television show "Welcome Back, Kotter" which aired on ABC from 1975 to 1979.
End of a pottery tuyere used in a kiln; a tuyere is a tube through which air or oxygen is blown into a blast furnace, a ceramic blow tube to keep the furnace hot; origin Uganda.
Framed acrylic painting depicting a scene of modern and primitive dwellings being attacked by airplanes and tanks; villagers have guns, bows and arrows, and spears, and are wearing native garments; signed "DzibA C" lower right; origin unknown.
Ivory figures depicting the Three Wise Monkeys motif ("See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"); origin Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Salt-glazed border tiles made from kiln-fired red clay, used to line walkways and gardens. Made by slave labor on a plantation near Hickory Hill, South Carolina. Four tiles exist in the collection, two of each shown here.
Oval sweetgrass basket with seven sets of pine knots (called "love knots") which are visible only from the outside; basket is accented with rows of pine needle; also contains bulrush; sewn with palmetto leaf; bottom reads "Anne Scott 2006."
Wooden chief's stool decorated with four broad supports, each with two female figures, hands clasped over the stomach. The wood surface is treated with a white coloring agent. Origin Dogon people of Mali.
Large straw bag made of dark colored straw and decorated with shells. Lined with brown cloth. The straw was woven in Long Bay Cays and sold to craftswomen in Nassau. Originally purchased in the straw market of Nassau, Bahamas.
Copper slave badge imprinted "Charleston No. 261 Fruiterer 1812." The badge is a contemporary counterfeit--"Fruiterer" is not a known occupation to be printed upon slave badges.
Clutch purse made from light and dark colored straw. The straw was woven in Long Bay Cays and sold to craftswomen in Nassau. Originally purchased in the straw market of Nassau, Bahamas.
Straw purse with handle and turquoise linen lining. The straw was woven in Long Bay Cays and sold to craftswomen in Nassau. Originally purchased in the straw market of Nassau, Bahamas.
Ivory tooth or tusk carved into an ornate ring with a circle and dot motif; resembles a napkin ring; origin eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Intricate brass support with a cupperhood in the shape of a cobra that holds a brass bowl. The bowl has a perforated hole that is used to drip liquid. Original description from Colin Turnbull reads "brass Vvandi bowl support Lingham in clothed Lotus."
Front and back views of a metal lunchbox and thermos depicting scenes from the television show "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids" which aired from 1972 to 1985.
Ornamental face mask with open eyes, carved hair, and a string through the holes at top; origin eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Ivory replica of a snail shell, seven holes indicate that it may have come unglued from another piece; origin eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Sixteen-note sound box, also known as board piano or thumb piano and lukembi, likembe, or kalimba; wooden with keys made from spoon handles, bicycle spikes, or metal keys hammered to the desired shape; keys plucked with thumb and fingers; two holes under the keys and some decoration on the side; inscription "RUMBA OPIKA MIE LEON L24B1954.BUNIA"; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Twelve-note sound box, also known as thumb piano, board piano, lukembi, or kalimba; wooden with keys made from spoon handles, bicycle spikes, or metal keys hammered to the desired shape; keys plucked with thumb and fingers; two holes on bottom and one on back; crudely decorated with lines and scratch-like marks; origin Lese people of the Ituri rainforest.
Smoothly finished art pottery piece with predominantly orange and green coloration. Heart-shaped jar, orange with green and black spots. Smooth finish. Jar stopper designed as a woman without facial features wearing a gele (headtie) and two green earrings.
Copper slave badge, square in shape, reading "Charleston 20 Servant 1823." Under the date, a stamp reads "LAFA," signifying the maker, John Joseph Lafar.
Edison Blue Amberol recording of Fred Van Eps "Darkies Dream" and "Darkies Awakening." Patent information on top of cover reads "1910. John Young, Frederick J Wheeler." Etched into the top of the cylinder is "Thomas A. Edison Patd. 183; 1544 DARKIES DREAM & DARKIES AWAKENING VAN EPS." Bottom of cylinder is imprinted "Seeley Tube and Box Co. Newark, N.J. USA."
Ivory toothpick holder with 10 ivory toothpicks, made for hotels, carved design on toothpicks; origin eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Multiple views of a circular, flat sweetgrass basket with a handle made of pine needles wrapped in palmetto leaves; basket contains accents of pine needles throughout and artist has incorporated decorative pine knots; center of basket contains a combination of sweetgrass, pine needles, and bulrush, sewn with palmetto leaf; label on back reads "HAND MADE BY Ida Mae Bennett."
Multiple views of a hanging wall pocket made of sweetgrass and pine needles sewn with palmetto leaf; signature on bottom reads "Martha Manigault 2006."
Wooden figure of a leopard man standing over an initiate of the nkumbi circumcision ritual; larger figure has spotted covering, slits for eyes and openings for arms, textured knee-length pants; origin Ituri forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Heavy dark wooden chief's stool supported by a carving of a female figure. Origin Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
A minstrel stick puppet. Minstrel shows were a type of entertainment popular from the 1840s to as late as the 1960s that featured performers in blackface. Figure has movable parts connected by pins. The stick that is used to operate the puppet is broken off.
Wooden nkumbi household stool used in initiation with two pieces of wood lying on top; four legs, darker in color, curve upward, 3 holes in each side on the darker band of color; one piece of wood is inscribed "Innsbruck Sept 27 1953"; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Front and interior views of a coiled basked made of sweetgrass, pine needle, and bulrush, sewn with palmetto leaf. Domed lid has a knob and is decorated with pine knots. Lid is connected by a hinge on one side and contains a protruding piece that fits into a loop on the other side, securing it when closed.
