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AuctionsA Lifetime of Discovery IIILot 116

Lot 116

Makonde Figural Drum, Tanzania or Mozambique

Estimate$800–$1,200

Offered in A Lifetime of Discovery III · Sunday, November 1, 2026, To be announced

Tall hand-carved wood ceremonial drum attributed to the Makonde peoples of Tanzania or Mozambique, carved from a single log with a cylindrical body rising from a flared pedestal base. The central section is decorated with deeply incised geometric bands and flanked by two crouching human figures displaying patterned facial scarification. Fitted with an animal-hide drumhead secured by wooden pegs. Dark, naturally varied surface with substantial age and character.

Size
35 in. high, approximately 14 in. wide.
Provenance
Jean-Pierre Hallet Collection; subsequently from an important private collection assembled by a dealer and collector over more than six decades.
Condition
Overall age-related wear, surface abrasions, drying and minor losses. Hide drumhead remains present with wear and losses around the perimeter. Old collection label remnant to the underside. See photographs.

Estimates are opinions of value, given as a guide.