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Lot Essay
Fernand Miot, a member of the fourth expedition of the Belgian Anti-Slavery Society, arrived at Lake Tanganyika in 1893. The intervention by Miot and his men in a local dispute between Chief Kalumbi and a neighbouring chief seems to have resulted in their occupation of Kalumbi's village (situated at the confluence of the Niembo and Lukuga rivers) and the seizure of the ten objects which comprise the so-called "Miot Treasury" (see Roberts, op.cit. p.232). The "treasury" comprises three bow stands, a Buli-style bowl figure, three staffs, an ivory pestle, a headrest and the present cup.
Writing about the present lot, Roberts (op.cit. p.237) states: "How a Kuba drinking cup found its way into this eastern Luba treasury is unclear, but it must have made a statement about the chief's worldliness and prestige to possess objects emanating from such great distances and belonging to non Luba royal treasuries."
Writing about the present lot, Roberts (op.cit. p.237) states: "How a Kuba drinking cup found its way into this eastern Luba treasury is unclear, but it must have made a statement about the chief's worldliness and prestige to possess objects emanating from such great distances and belonging to non Luba royal treasuries."