Dan Stool (Bo ya kbolo), Ivory Coast

7” high (18 cm) x 9” (23 cm) in diameter
wood, brass tacks

When I acquired this stool from a private US collection 20 years ago, it was stated that it was originally purchased from a Sotheby’s Parke-Bernet auction in the late 60s - early 70s.

This stool is carved in the form of two opposing cones carved from a single block of heavy wood. The two cone forms are thought to be symbolic: the upper cone symbolizes the skies or heaven and the lower one the earth. Little is written about the use of these small stools among the Dan and surrounding cultures. The hypothesis of William Siegmann (1943-2011), specialist in the arts of Liberia and Sierra Leone, that these stools were intended for practices of excision and circumcision of young men and young women seems to be the most plausible.

In some documented examples there is a rope attached around the center section of the stool which was used to carry it. The brass tacks present on this example were most likely not an original adornment, but were added at some point during its life. The stool shows significant signs of age and use with a well worn seat. There are examples in this style collected by Henri Labouret before 1938 which were donated to the Musée de l'Homme (now in the collection of Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac) which don’t show nearly as much age or use as this example which is why I’m dating it late 19th - early 20th century.

Inquire using the form at the bottom of the page. $400 plus shipping