Executioning sword with metal blade and wooden handle; decorative cord in several colors wraps around handle, pieces of red hair are attached through holes in the handle; origin Bira people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Smoked ivory ornamental face mask, mouth is wide oval, eyes are a rectangle; origin Epulu (Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire), but is a replica of masks created by the Dan people of Cote d'Ivoire.
Smoked ivory ornamental face mask, openings for eyes, mouth has slight opening, showing teeth, crown on head; origin Epulu (Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire), but is a replica of masks created by the Pende people (also of DRC).
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).
Smoked ivory ornamental face mask, mouth has five carved pointed teeth; origin Epulu (Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire), but is a replica of masks created by the Dan people of Cote d'Ivoire.
Ornamental face mask with elongated nose, carved headpiece, closed eyes, and a string through the holes at top; origin eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Ornamental face mask with carved headpiece, closed eyes, and a string through the holes at top; origin eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
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).
Front and profile views of a female wooden figure carrying a vessel in each hand. Origin Bena Lulua people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
One-string stick fiddle (goge); a string passes over a small bridge placed close to the edge of the gourd, which rotates; ornately carved handle, origin Ituri forest.
One-string fiddle with skin head which is nailed to a painted wooden base; open bottom, red and black geometric design around base, string still attached; origin Ituri rainforest.
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).
Ivory figure of a man in bark cloth; he appears to be holding something in his right hand; origin eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Wooden stick with one end carved in a circular design; part of a fire stick, very smooth; origin Ituri rainforest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Ivory flower vase with human face on one side and lion on the other, made for hotel use; origin eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Wooden nuchuba board with four rows of eight large holes; game is played by filling two inside rows of holes with four beans each and successfully moving all beans to the outside rows; origin Tutsi people (Central Africa).
Rectangular gong; two pieces of wood fastened together with a glue-like substance; opening on one side, wood bows out on front and back, and top and bottom edges are jagged; origin Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mbo people.
Gourd bowl for palm wine; a braided leather handle is connected through two holes; origin Mbo people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Man's knife with metal blade in a two-sectioned wooden sheath which is wrapped in some areas with metal lacing; wooden carved handle; appears to be carved from the same piece of wood; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Miniature five-string harp with wooden arm and base; base covered with skin that has been nailed down, arm has leopard type decoration, base has markings, hole cut out on top of base; origin Mangbetu people of the Ituri forest.
Five string harp with wooden arm and base, skin covering, strings still attached; origin Bira people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Ivory toothpick holder with 10 ivory toothpicks, made for hotels, carved design on toothpicks; origin eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
Elephant hunting spear with wooden handle, metal blade, and cord wrapped around the handle attaching the blade; thought to be made by villagers and used by the Mbuti of the Ituri forest.
Hunting spear with wooden handle, metal blade with intricate shape, and cord wrapped around the handle attaching the blade; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
Painting of the Ituri rainforest, home of the Mbuti people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), by Anne Eisner Putnam. Heavy oil palette and brush, acrylic possibly used; signed "Anne Eisner", lower right.
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).
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).
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).
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.
Ten-note barrel-shaped 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; open at top and closed at bottom; one hole in bottom and one on back; semi-circular red markings on sides and top, rectangles etched on sides; metal wrapped around keys; 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; one hole on base and one on back; one key has a coil wrap; crudely decorated with lines and scratch-like marks on back; origin Ngwanda people of Central Africa.
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.
Ten-note barrel-shaped 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; very decorated; bottom has hole with eleven additional holes encircling it; inscription "CT" and "CP11D" carved into back of wood; origin Ndaka people of the Ituri rainforest.
Front and profile views of a male wooden figure carrying a vessel in left hand and a dagger in right. Origin Bena Lulua people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).
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 initation doctor's mask with beard; ears, eyes, nose, and mouth all have holes; eyebrows carved down to the mouth in a series of reverse S's creating cheek bones; touched the nose is a carved vertical band; ears protude inward to eyes; faded white dots over entire face.
Wooden face decorated with white paint, straw beard, nose holes; face has white dots, outlined nose and lips with lines in the forehead area; string attached through holes in the back; origin Ndaka people of the Ituri rainforest.
Wooden face decorated with white paint, straw beard, nose holes; face has white dots, outlined nose and lips; carved crown decorated with white strips; string attached through holes in the back; origin Ndaka people of the Ituri rainforest.
Wooden face mask decorated with white paint and straw beard; chin and cheeks have cobweb design, eyes are small triangles, elongated nose, forehead has horizontal dashes, headpiece has vertical white lines; broken string attached to one nail, straw attached through two small holes; origin Ndaka people of the Ituri rainforest.
Mortar with handle which extends in one piece from rim to base; top rim decorated with spaced parallel lines, side of rim has cut-outs; base is scalloped; origin Bira people of the Ituri rainforest.
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.
Wooden stool used in nkumbi initiation; bottom has three incised marks on each side, handle carved on one side near the center column, and incised area in the middle of the top; origin Bira people of the Epulu region of the Ituri rainforest.
Wooden stool used in nkumbi initiation graduation; top is scalloped, base is square, four decorated block shapes between base and top; etched into one side is "H_ _ _ _ _"; origin Epulu region of the Ituri rainforest.
Clay pipe with long wooden stem; design engraved around bowl, copper coiled around end of stem; origin Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), Mbuti people.
Wooden imitation toy shield with rings painted on front and back; carved with handle on back; handle and piece on front painted black; origin Ituri rainforest.
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).
Wooden stool supported by four nearly identical carved figures with red mouths; three figures hold the seat of the stool with extended arms; geometric design at base and top; origin Ituri rainforest.
