A Beer Basket on Wooden Feet

Mbunga

Ulanga Valley

Tanzania

early 20th century

20 x 22 cm

Materials: fibre and wood

Technique: basketry

Condition: very good

The body of this rare and unusual basket is composed of a base of plaited fibre with sides encircled by horizontal and vertical strips of cane bound together with fibre twine supported on three knobbed wooden legs. The use of both wrapped cane strips and a base of plaited fibre is common to many baskets made by a any number of tribes throughout Central Africa.

Reference:

It has an excellent patina from use unlike two similar examples in the British Museum both of which would appear to be unused. They were donated to the museum in the 1930s and are both are described as beer containers. Af1935,1024.9, Af1939,18.29

https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=591858&partId=1&place=40894&plaA=40894-3-2&page=13

https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=589709&partId=1&object=24021&page=1

INV: 4226

Price

On request