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Rattle (Shekere)

Hemba Divination Janus Rattle

Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire)
Hemba

Wood, Hide, Gourds
19th Century

Height: 30cm / Length: 7cm / Width: 4.3 cm
Idiophone - Struck Indirectly - Shaken

A Hemba rattle with blackened wood handle, a classic Hemba Janus-head, two-tiered notched bowl at top, spiraling neck rings, three gourds below wrapped with hide, and a cloth and wood plug at bottom, which are intact. Provenance: The Jean-Pierre Hallet collection, Malibu. Lifelong collector, Hallet [1927-2004] authored several books on African art, including, ''Congo Kitabu'' and ''Pygmy Kitabu,'' and created the Pygmy Fund.

 

Owner:
Catalog#: AF-IDST-191