A PAIR OF BATANGA BELLOWS, with skin membrane, old label, 52cm. long; a hippopotamus tooth charm, the cut tooth bound at one end with green and black striped hide, 19.5cm. long; a Hausa flask, the glass bottle bound with geometric design in black and brown hide suspending hide tassels, 16cm. high; a Cameroon ostrich egg shell vessel, with woven fibre cylindrical neck and plaited hide carrying-strap, 22cm. high; and two cordophones with reptilian skin membranes, 51cm. and 39cm. high (6) | Christie's

Lot 471

471

A PAIR OF BATANGA BELLOWS, with skin membrane, old label, 52cm. long; a hippopotamus tooth charm, the cut tooth bound at one end with green and black striped hide, 19.5cm. long; a Hausa flask, the glass bottle bound with geometric design in black and brown hide suspending hide tassels, 16cm. high; a Cameroon ostrich egg shell vessel, with woven fibre cylindrical neck and plaited hide carrying-strap, 22cm. high; and two cordophones with reptilian skin membranes, 51cm. and 39cm. high (6)

Details

A PAIR OF BATANGA BELLOWS, with skin membrane, old label, 52cm. long; a hippopotamus tooth charm, the cut tooth bound at one end with green and black striped hide, 19.5cm. long; a Hausa flask, the glass bottle bound with geometric design in black and brown hide suspending hide tassels, 16cm. high; a Cameroon ostrich egg shell vessel, with woven fibre cylindrical neck and plaited hide carrying-strap, 22cm. high; and two cordophones with reptilian skin membranes, 51cm. and 39cm. high (6)

Provenance

Lt. Gen. A.H.L.F. Pitt Rivers for the first

Lot Essay

The label reads: "Bellows used by natives of Batanga Africa. The skins over the hollows[sic] basins are raised and pressed down alternately, so as to produce a constant blast."

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