Description: Free tracked international shipping on this item !!! Item. Superb Tiv Male Ihambe Wood Figure. Rare, Old, Used Example. 88cm Tall. Nigeria. Origin. The Tiv people of Nigeria who are today found in the middle belt region of Nigeria and some parts of Cameroon. Use. The Tivs are famous for their sculpted creations related to the funeral rites involved in the worship they devote to their ancestors. The Ihame too is an Ancestor figure. It can be Male or female but the primary function of an Ihambe figure is to stand gaurd at the entrances of the houses of women who had been married through an exchange of daughters by two families. Ihambe figures are also called "Twel" after the round stool they are usually depicted standing on. Description. Stunning, genuinely old and used Male Ihambe figure believed to be at more than 6 decades old. Beautiful and genuine patination , with a noticeablr lustrous sheen, derived from age, wear and use. This Ihambe figure is a masterful example in our opinion. Ihambe figures are made with two distinct style variation. One style uses coarse carving with often blunted and obscure feature. The other style, like this example for sale, features detailed, fine and smoothly executed carving style. This Ihame displays facial and torso scarification. The eye are cowrie shells embedded in stylized sockets made with plant glue and resin. The characteristic Tiv three tribal mouth are shown to each side of the mouth of the Ihambe. Black and white glass beads, attached to the figure with plant glue and resin, adorn the neck, wrist and ankles of the Ihambe figure. The Ihambe, as is typical, is made of dense hardwood. This figure shows the classic upright Ihambe stance with arms detached from the side of the body. He has an exaggeratedly protruding navel and stands on a stool with four support. Some minor degradation and wood loss but the Ihame, made with very durable hardwood, is in excellent condition overall. Stunning rare and masterful example worthy of consideration as a complement to any collection. Measurement. 88cm high x 20cm wide x 17cm deep Weight. 11kg approx. Deliveryinformation. Please note we are a UK-based seller who trade internationally and mainly by obtaining tribal artifacts directly in their area of creation and use as we rate authenticity higher than anything else per tribal art. We sometime therefore send items, especially big and heavy items such as this example, directly from where they were field-collected as this saves duplication of cost and effort for us. We always use UPS trackable service. Please allow at least two weeks for delivery after payment is made. Thank you..
Price: 970 GBP
Location: Dagenham
End Time: 2025-01-15T14:16:15.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 GBP
Product Images
Item Specifics
Returns Accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Primary Material: Wood
Antique: Yes
Original/ Repro: Original
Product: Carved Figures
Region of Origin: Africa
Age: Post-1940
