Beautiful girl from the afterworld - Mask from the property of Billy Wilder as a highlight of the second Dorotheum auction of tribal art on 26th September
Songye, Cuba, Dem. Rep. Kongo,
Kifwebe-Mask, from the property Billy Wilder,
estimate € 140.000 - 160.000
Punu, Gabun, Mask "Beautiful girl",
estimate € 2.000 - 4.000
Bidjogo, Guinea-Bissau, large bull mask,
estimate € 8.000 - 12.000
After the success of the first tribal art auction with an outcome of 665,000 Euros for around 150 objects, the Vienna Dorotheum continues on with a second auction of objects from this internationally sought-after collection area. On 26th September 2011 355 tribal art objects from Africa, Asia, Indonesia and Oceania are coming up for auction.
The highlight of this auction is an outstanding Congo mask from the collection of the famous Hollywood director Billy Wilder. The mask is of a very rare, early type (€140,000 - 160,000).
From the collection of the Austrian artist Bruno Gironcoli comes a so called "Beautiful girl" of the Panu (Gabon). The mask is used when dancing at festivals and ceremonies: the girl comes to visit the living people Punu belief (€ 2,000 - 4,000).
The large bull mask of the Bidjogo is also a great rarity, which appears at initiations and other Bidjogo festivals (€8,000 - 12,000). A further gem of a piece is an old Luba-Hemba Chief's stool in the form of a female caryatid figure (€20,000 - 30,000).The Topoke (Congo) used iron or spearheads were used as a means of payment and objects of value when bartering. The auction offers a 1.6 meter tall spearhead ("Liganda") that could be "bartered" for an estimated value of 500 to 800 Euros. The Navajo people are excellent carpet makers. Around 1910 they made a carpet by order of an American Masonic Lodge. The Navajo carpet displays the most important Masonic motifs (€3,000 - 4,000).
The range of auction objects spans from rare works of art, to musical instruments, diverse weapons, and everyday objects on to textiles and gold and silver jewelry from all around the world.
Auction:
Tribal Art, 26 September 2011, 4pm
Public Viewing:
from 20 September 2011
Expert:
Prof. Erwin Melchardt, Tel. + 43-1-515 60- 520, erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at Tel. +43-662-87 16 71-0
Venue:
PALAIS DOROTHEUM, Vienna 1, Dorotheergasse 17
Press Office:
Mag. Doris Krumpl, Tel. + 43-1-515 60-406, doris.krumpl@dorotheum.at
A selection of objects is on view at the Dorotheum representation office in Brussels from:
1st - 2nd September 2011, 10 a.p. - 5 p.m.
cocktail: 1st September 2011, 6 - 9 p.m.
Dorotheum Brussels
rue aux Laines, 13
B-1000 Brussels
Tel. 02-5140034, bruessel@dorotheum.be
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