Fon recade, sokpo

Republic of Benin (ex Dahomey)
2nd quarter 20th century (1920’s - 1950)
26.3in / 67cm
Made by the Hountondji family guild based on its stylistic elements.

Galerie Walu, Zurich
Koller Auctions, Zurich (2011)
Swiss private collection

Aglokpo/wensagunkpo were used by royal messengers, the récade authenticated the provenance of their message. Sokpo is the designation for récades used by the Hùbono, priests of Hebiosso/Hebiesso, the god of thunder. The animals represented on the backside of the recades represented the signs of kings. In a conversation about this object with Suzanne Preston-Blier who has extensively researched and written about Fon art, she indicated that the animal on the backside of this recade was a buffalo. The nineteenth-century Fon king Guezo is represented by a buffalo, an animal signifying strength and determination, and this recade was probably commissioned by a descendent of his. Ghezo was the ninth King of Dahomey and is considered one of the greatest of the 12 historical kings. He ruled from 1818 to 1858 and his name before ascending to the throne was Gakpe. She noted that this sokpo was most likely from 1920’s - 1950 timeframe because the buffalo on the back was made with the lost-wax casting method. After 1910, the Hountondji Royal Guild artists also began fashioning objects from brass made through lost-wax casting, a tradition that owes its roots to another talented smith, Tahozangbe's Hountondji’s son, Gnassounou Hountondji, who attended the Colonial Exposition in Marseilles in 1906 and learned this art form there.

The Hountondji family guild, whose members included blacksmiths and jewelers originally worked exclusively for the royal court making metal sculptures and decorative arts of striking originality and beauty. What is less widely known about this famous guild is that the founding family was originally part of the slave trade in Dahomey in the 19th century. Suzanne Preston-Blier wrote that the family demonstrated their ability to craft beautiful objects out of metal and were subsequently given a platform to create objects for the royal court. The family made such a significant impact and change on the art production of the Fon, even though they were not Fon themselves, that they had a city quarter named after them. Such was their demand that their family head, Kpahissou was given a prestigious royal title due to his followers' ability to make any item both local and foreign.

$1000 plus shipping - SOLD
Base included if desired

This object is stylistically almost identical to one offered at Sotheby's, New York, "Important Tribal Art", 21 November 1996. Lot 237. (AHDRC Object ao-0112017-001). I have included an image of it in the photos below at the very end.

For a visual comparison between Aglokpo/wensagunkpo and sokpo récades, see the page for my other récade I am selling by clicking here.