Early 20th C. Yoruba Ogboni Society Brass Edan Finial

**Originally Listed At $200**

West African, Nigeria, Yoruba peoples, ca. early 20th century CE. A fascinating, finely cast brass finial created for the Ogboni, a men's society with the power to depose a ruler considered unfit to rule. This finial symbolizes Onile, an earth goddess. Her bulging eyes symbolize that the item is filled with Onile's spirit, while the medium of brass, the metal of royalty in Yoruba society, shows the power of the Ogboni. The loop at the top of the head would have once had a chain attached through which this figure could be connected to a second finial. An iron pin extends from the base of the finial, which would have been used to fit it into a taller staff. Size: 1.4" W x 7.6" H (3.6 cm x 19.3 cm); 8.3" H (21.1 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection

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#151257
Condition Report: Some small chips and nicks commensurate with age; otherwise in good condition with well preserved form and detail. Dark, smooth patina on surface.