DOUBLE NECKREST
POSSIBLY GURAGE PEOPLES, ETHIOPIA
Estimate: £250 - £350
Auction: 13 March 2025 from 13:00 GMT
Description
carved wood, of rectangular form, featuring two separate supports, rich patination
Dimensions
46cm long
Provenance
Private collection, London, United Kingdom, acquired from the below
Bryan Reeves, London
Footnote
The oldest preserved headrests on the African continent were discovered in Egypt and are believed to date back to the Second and Third Dynasties of the Old Kingdom around the mid-late third millennium B.C. Many of these ancient Egyptian headrest designs, especially the solid block-shaped rests, share similarities with East African headrests created approximately five thousand years later.
Distinguished by its bold character, the present example is particularly notable for its highly unusual "double pillow" construction.