OUR OBJECTS

Preface
Tribal art, which is also called Ethnography, contains ritual or articles of daily use. Ideally the objects show hints of usage, which increase their individuality. Such objects that achieve top class fame and highest prices worldwide are also to be found here at ORIGOMUNDI.
But also first time investors can discover objects here on our site. The reason for this lies in the range of our assortment. Next to the ethnological authenticity the simple decoration (or monumental) value of each object is important and therefore one thing is sure:
Beautiful must not mean expensive!

The age of our objects
Nowadays, most obtained objects – if they are not made of stone or metal – originate from the 20th century. Insect muck and a disadvantageous climate for organic material lead often to a destruction of most objects within a few decades. The carvers always had a lot to do. For many collectors therefore applies the rule: date of import less than 30 years.

Masks
There are countless numbers of different types of masks, far more than those known from the former colonial regions which already are very popular. Each one is individual and usually provided with an expression circling around the central topics death and fertility. They were used mostly within traditional dances, for example initiation celebrations, if a member of the clan ascended in the hierarchy or fertility dances for the fields and women. Textiles, feathers and ornaments on the whole human body formed together with the usually wooden heading section the complete mask. For every situation there was a dance and a mask or even complete group of masks. They usually represented mighty characters/ creatures from the hereafter, such as ancestors, ghosts from the wilderness or mythic figures.

Figures
For many enthusiasts figures and statues are a never ending source of elation regarding the expressiveness and also the strength of decoration of these artworks. Carved, polished with rough leaves and afterwards patinated with vegetable oil or stained dark and then painted - their making was a complex process.
Often they were created out of one piece which meant threefold might for the carver: the might of abstraction, through what he took away; the might of figuration, through what he left and the might of nature, which is always present through the continuous presence of the original form and structure of the wood.

Shields and weapons
Knives, axes or spears, whether made out of metal or wood, they all testify advanced technical capability. Most of them exceeded their original function and are richly decorated and adorned. Many weapons and shields were only used for ritual celebrations and were sometimes part of the disguise. Others were even used as payment.

Vessels
Not only are the variety of materials and forms, but also their different functions are reasons for their diversity. The range of utilisation varies from simple household appliances to ritual devices.

Adornment
Not only as pure ornament, but also an indication of rank and honour, of social position, function or tribal affiliation are signalised by the adornments. Other objects again were used for the delivery of secret messages as evidence for the addressers credibility.

Musical instruments
Musical instruments have up to now been strongly neglected by collectors. Perhaps it is because a direct connection to rituals or secret societies cannot be seen immediately and they therefore forfeit mysticism. They serve as accompanists of dancing and singing or even for sending signals. Often it is exactly defined who owns which kind of instruments and to which occasion they are to be played.