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Snuff Spoon (intshengula or izintshengula)
✓ Authenticity guarantee · ✓ Specialist condition report · ✓ Insured worldwide shipping · ✓ Private-room viewing
Often, snuff spoons made from the rib of an ox or cow were subtly carved to suggest a female body. Decorated with incised designs blackened with cattle fat and ash, many are true hybrid objects, combining a spoon with a long-tined comb or hairpin. Such spoons were typically worn as ornaments in the hair or even the beard, thus signaling the social standing of their wearer.
| Artist / Maker | Anonymous, Zulu-style maker |
|---|---|
| Date | late 1800s |
| Culture / Origin | Africa, Southern Africa, South Africa, Zulu-style maker |
| Medium | bone |
| Dimensions | Overall: 17.8 cm (7 in.) |
| Department | African Art |
| Type | Tools and Equipment |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
Fine-art shipping with climate control and full insurance to over 120 countries; collection by appointment.
Buying at Matchless Pieces
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