Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Hallmarks

Figurine of Medieval archer
Italy
Silverplated pewter
1970es
7 cm
300g
Gothic 'B' - Mod. dep.

Vintage pewter piece in the shape of an archer. The silverplating is still in very good condition considering it's almost half a century old. Issued as part of a series consisting of another couple of Medieval soldiers, a cannon and a ballista.
The marks at the bottom of the piece tells us the following:
PELTRO ITALY: Pewter from Italy (obviously).
MOD DEP: short for Modèle déposé - a registered design.
Gothic 'B': This is the maker/manufacturer's mark. Traditionally all Italian pewterware is from Brescia, but despite much research into the subject, I am still none the wiser about the identity or the exact locality of the 'Gothic B' maker. Their output was quite prolific in the last half of the 20th century, and their figurines are still very common on the 2nd hand market.

This is the first figurine ever acquired, during a family visit to Rome in April 1979.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Rook chess piece
UK
Poly-resin
20th century replica
9cm
85g

A full-size replica of the Lewis Chessmen Warder from the collection of National Museums Scotland. The Lewis chess set was discovered in 1831 on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, but dates back to the 12th Century. According to the British Museum the chessmen were probably made in Trondheim, the medieval capital of Norway, although some scholars have suggested other Nordic countries.

This full-size replica has been handmade in the UK from 3D laser scans, and uses a simulated ivory finish to accurately represent the walrus ivory of the original.

This piece was acquired at local street market in Helsingør August 2019.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Ancient Norse god Frej
Sweden
Bronze
Late 20th - Early 21st century
9 cm
300g

A full-size bronze replica of the Rällinge statuette depicting the Norse god Frej. The original was discovered in 1904 in Södermanland, Sweden and dated to the Viking Age.

Frej was one of the most important gods in Old Norse religion. He was particularly associated with crops, agriculture, prosperity, and fertility, and statuettes with a large phallos are therefore usually interpreted as representations of him.

This piece was purchased at the National Museum of Denmark October 2010.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Venus of Willendorf replica
Denmark
Plaster
Late-20th century
14,5 cm
200g

Museum replica of the limestone Venus figurine estimated to have been made around 25,000 years ago. The original was found in 1908, during excavations at a paleolithic site near Willendorf in Lower Austria. Very little is known about the origin, or cultural significance of the figure; however, it is one of numerous Venus figurines surviving from Paleolithic Europe. Similar sculptures are traditionally referred to in archaeology as 'Venus figurines', due to the widely-held belief that depictions of nude women with exaggerated sexual features represented an early fertility fetish, or perhaps a mother goddess.

This copy is from The Royal Cast Collection in Copenhagen, purchased in the early 1990s.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Manufacturer

Statuette of St. Francis
France
Plaster
Late 19th/Early 20th century
22 cm
300g
Laugier Ed.

Catholic bric-à-brac in the shape of St. Francis of Assisi. Cast in plaster and handpainted, the statuette is beautifully made with lots of delicate detail, especially the stigmata is masterfully done. The statuette displays a lot of wear and tear + repairs.

The Laugier workshop was situated in 45 Rue de Sèvres in the 6th arondissement of Paris, and specialised in massproducing Catholic plaster statuary. It's is not known if there's a connection between the workshop and the lesser known French bronze sculpturer Salomon Marius François Laugier (1835-1890)

Bought in a Copenhagen junk shop in the mid-1990s.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Hallmark

Pipe tamper in the shape of an African child
Scotland
Bronze
Late-20th century
6 cm
50g
TAF

A tamper is a blunt instrument with a flat end for tamping down the tobacco when the pipe bowl is being packed, and for crushing the ash together to aid relighting. Tradionally pipe tampers are often quite ornate or cast in the shape of a figure or object.

This pipe tamper was purchased directly from the maker, a Scottish bronzesmith who (unfortunately) was going out of business.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Hallmark

Figurine of accordeon player
Italy
Silverplated pewter/Enamel
Mid-20th century
4 cm
70g
B

Silverplated pewter figurine of either a nun or a ghost playing the accordeon. Rather unusual for Italian pewterware, the cream coloured robes of the figure are enameled. The hallmark is a capital B, but not of the Gothic variety as often seen on other pieces. Maybe a very early piece by the same maker?

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Hallmark

Santa Claus figurine
Italy
Silverplated pewter
1970es
7 cm
420g
Gothic 'B'

Buon Natale! An Italian pewter piece for the festive season. Strictly speaking I'm not sure if it's actually from the 1970es, but judging by the hairstyle, baggy pants and more importantly the lead content of the pewter, it's fair to assume that it's a vintage piece. Maker's mark is a trademarked Gothic 'B', which dates the piece to the late 1970es or onwards.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Miniature replica of famous statue
Belgium
Bronzed metal alloy
20th century
6cm
62g

A bit of tourist bric-à-brac. Miniature figurine depicting the famous Bruxelles landmark. Manneken Pis is a 61 cm bronze fountain sculpture, depicting a naked boy urinating into the fountain's basin. It was designed by Jérôme Duquesnoy the Elder (1570–1641), and put in place in 1619. The current statue is a replica which dates from 1965.
There are several legends behind Manneken Pis; one legend suggests that, in the 14th century, Brussels was under siege by a foreign power which had placed explosive charges at the city walls. A little boy urinated on the burning fuse and thus saved the city. In a similar story, the young boy was awoken by a fire which he put out with his urine, stopping the king's castle from burning down. Another story tells of a wealthy merchant who, during a visit to the city, had his beloved young son go missing. The merchant hastily formed a search party, which scoured all corners of the city, until the boy was found happily urinating in a small garden. The merchant, as a gift of gratitude to the locals who helped out during the search, had the fountain built.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figurine of singing monk
Italy
Silverplated pewter
Mid-20th century
6 cm
380g

The musical monks were a very popular theme in Italian pewter figurines from the 1950s onwards: Monks (and nuns) singing, playing trumpets, flutes, guitars and drums (or sometimes just eating). This one is either singing or complaining about the racket. Lead content in Italian pewter alloys has gradually decreased over time, the weight is therefore an indicator of the age: the older, the heavier.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figurine of cyclops
Greece
Brass
Early-21st century
6,5 cm
110g

Straight from ancient Greek mythology; the cyclops. It could be Polyphemos of either the Odyssey, or Ovid's Metamorphoses, as he's got a rock in his hand.

Purchased in a tourist shop during a holiday on Corfu in 2019.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Super egg
Denmark
Silverplated brass
1960s
3 cm
112g

Not strictly speaking a figurine, but still an object of curiousity. In geometry, a superegg is a solid of revolution obtained by rotating an elongated superellipse with exponent greater than 2 around its longest axis. Or, in this case, a drink cooler; pop it in the freezer prior to use, and unlike a melting ice cube, a frozen Super egg won't dilute your drink.

Inherited piece of great sentimental value.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figurine of a ghost
Italy
Silverplated pewter
Second half of 20th century
5,5 cm
140g

More Euro-kitsch. Either a little ghost, or as the posterior view, and the patches on the front indicates; someone dressed up as a ghost. No makers mark to indicate the manufacturer, but the modelling seems somewhat crude, or less refined, than the output of other Italian pewter makers.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Manufacturer

2 Figures of Dupond (or Thomson)
Belgium
PVC & paint
2010
8,5 cm
20g each
Moulinsart

Two figures depicting the incompetent detectives Thomson & Thompson (Dupond & Dupont) from the Tintin comic book series by Hergé.

The 2 PVC figures are completely identical, unlike the Thom(p)sons of the Tintin books, where the 2 seemingly identical looking detectives can be differentiated by the shape of their moustaches: Thompson has a drooping walrus moustache, while Thomson has a flared pointed moustache. These figures are both "Thomson, without a 'P', as in Venezuela."

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Miniaturebust of Józef Piłsudski
Poland
Brass
Early/Mid 20th century
7 cm
185g

Miniature bust of Chief of State and First Marshal of Poland Józef Piłsudski (1867-1935).
I initially thought the bust might be German due to the medals, and the imperial eagle on the plinth. But the beard/hair combination never quite fitted any of the usual suspects; Bismarck, Hindenburg or Wilhelm II. However, after 5 years of halfhearted research, I'm fairly certain that the subject of the bust is Polish statesman Piłsudski; Poland's got an eagle in their crest too, plus military orders that resembles iron crosses. For comparison, check out this other Piłsudski bust.

Picked up at a street market in London 2016.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Manufacturer

Figure of walking mummy
UK
PVC and paint
Early-21st century
6,5 cm
20g
Charter Ltd

Figurine of the Mummy character from the Hanna-Barbera TV show 'Scooby Doo'. Unlike other Scooby Doo figures, the mummy has no articulation. The sculpt on the wrappings is very neat, with the strands seemingly layered over one another, and not just done as lines in an otherwise flat surface. Several loose ends dangle from his arm, shin and the side of his head.

The Mummy villain first appeared in the 1969 episode "Scooby Doo and a Mummy, Too", where the 3,000-year-old mummy Ankha came back to life and was turning those who had disturbed his tomb into stone. This figurine however is of a more recent date; part of Charter Ltds 2010 'Scooby Doo Mystery Mates' line.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Manufacturer

Dickens Ware figurine of Fagin
UK
Porcelain
Third quarter of 20th century
10,5 cm
61g
Royal Doulton

This is what's known as anti-Semitica; miscellaneous objects that depict negative Jewish stereotypes. The Dickens Ware figurines is a set of 16 bone china figurines, based on Charles Dickens’ characters. It was designed by Leslie Harradine, and produced by Royal Doulton from 1922 until 1937. A second run of the series was produced from 1949 until 1983. This figurine of Fagin the Jew belongs to the second run - with the Bone China stamp indicating that it's made prior to 1973. Fagin is portrayed with a beard and a large nose; both stereotypical physical features attributed to Jewish men. In 'Oliver Twist', Fagin is the villainous leader of a gang of children whom he has instructed in the ways of crime. He attempts to corrupt the protagonist, Oliver, in the same manner.
Royal Doulton is an English ceramic manufacturer founded in 1815. Although mainly known for their artistically styled and decorated ceramics and tableware, originally the backbone of the business was a wide range of utilitarian stonewares, such as storage jars, tankards, drain pipes, lavatories and other bathroom ceramics.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Lenin statuette
USSR
Silumin
1960/70es
18,5 cm
562g

Relic from a bygone era; Soviet flotsam in the shape of Lenin. Back in the day, Lenin paraphernalia was an obligatory part of the decor of any selfrespecting Eastern Bloc school, office or workplace. The 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union however, signalled a significant loss of interest in Soviet iconography, the majority of which were subsequently disposed of.
This particular figure depicts Lenin wearing his trademark flatcap and his cadre uniform, confidently shuffling towards the bright future of the proletariat. The figure is modelled by S.K. Kolorov, and cast in the industrial alloy Silumin. The original bronzed coating has long worn off.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Statuette of drinking man
Denmark
Cast iron
1950/60es
11cm
306g

A classic piece of Euro kitsch. Everybody who grew up in Northern Europe in the 1970es will at some point have encountered this figure. The origins of the prototype is unknown, but it was widely produced throughout Northern Europe from the 1950es and onwards. In Germany it's still produced to this day.
The Danish pieces, like this one, were usually cast in local foundries, of which there were plenty at the time, or shipyards (the now defunct shipyard in Helsingør were so big on 'wharf-art' that it was rumoured that every third ship 'walked' out the gate) The holes at the bottom of the figure indicates that it was originally attached to a base which would typically have been marble or alabaster.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Figure of Norse god
Iceland
Brass
21st century
8 cm
215g

Museum copy of The Eyrarland Statue; a small 6.7 cm Viking Age bronze statue of a seated figure which was found in 1815 at the Eyrarland farm in Akureyri, Iceland. The original statue is exhibited at the National Museum of Iceland.
The statue depicts Thor the Norse god of thunder holding his hammer Mjöllnir. Thor was one of the most popular Norse gods in the Viking Age, so much so that hammer amulets were sometimes worn on necklaces to display the wearer's faith in the Norse gods. Thousands of these amulets have been found throughout Scandinavia. Although usually depicted in a T like shape, Mjöllnir is here sculpted in the typical Icelandic cross-like shape.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight
Manufacturer

Statuette of seated man
Tanganyika
Ebony
1961-1964
23 cm
590g
RJL

Ebony statuette of seated man stroking his beard. The carving is not ethnographic, but rather a generic piece which conforms to a European perception of African identity. However, like most older pieces, it is of exquisite quality; high grade ebony, detailed carving and immaculate finishing. The statuette is handcarved in Tanganyika; a precursory sovereign state to modern day Tanzania, existing between 1961 and 1964.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Reliquary figure
Fang
Gabon
Wood and pigment
20th century
21 cm
113g

Traditionally the migratory existence of the Fang people prohibited the creation of ancestral shrines at gravesites. Instead, the remains of their ancestors, in the form of the skull and other bones, were carried from place to place in a cylindrical bark box. The 'Byeri' or reliquary boxes were surmounted by a statue that acted as a guardian of the ancestral remains. The byeri would be consulted when the village was to change location, when a new crop was planted, during a palaver, or before going hunting, fishing, or to war. Once separated from the reliquary chest, the reliquary figure would lose its sacred value and could be disposed of.

The 1 million Fang people are the largest ethnic group in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. They are traditionally farmers and hunters, and became major cocoa farmers during the colonial era.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Technique
Period
Height
Weight

Figure with raised arms
Dogon
Mali
Bronze
Cire perdue
20th century
12,5 cm
140g

The elevated arms pose is seen throughout African statuary. In Dogon sculpture the pose is refered to as 'Tellem' as it was appropriated from the Tellem people. The Tellem (meaning: "those who were before us" in the Dogon language) were the people who inhabited the Bandiagara Escarpment in Mali between the 11th and 16th centuries prior to the Dogon migration to the region around the 14th century. The meaning of the posture is unknown, although it was been speculated that it's a prayer for rain.

The Dogon people numbers between 400.000 and 800.000, and are indigenous to the central plateau region of Mali. The Dogon are primarily agriculturalists, and cultivate millet, sorghum and rice, as well as onions, tobacco, peanuts, and other vegetables.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Mbwoolo figure
Yaka
Democratic Republic of Congo
Wood
20th century
19 cm
100g

Mbwoolo figures are used for medicinal purposes. In order to work, fetish materials (Biteki) have to be attached, usually in small burlap bags hung around the neck, arms or waist. Without biteki, the Mbwoolo are without meaning to the Yaka, and merely await employment. Once charged with Biteki, the Mbwoolo can either "make-well" (kubuka) or "make-ill" (kukwatn). Owned by specific lineages rather than individuals, the Mbwoolo pass from one generation to another. Once it has entered a lineage, Mbwoolo serves the lineage by protecting property and assures the well-being of future generations.

The 300,000 Yaka people are found on the Angolan border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They live in the forest and savanna region between the Kwango River and the Wamba River. The Yaka farm cassava, sweet potatoes, and corn, and supplement this with fish and game meat. They are also migrant workers in urban areas.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Maternity sculpture
Bena Lulua
Democratic Republic of Congo
Wood
Early 20th century
30,5 cm
350g

Lulua figures are characterised by their scarifications and pointed coiffures. They serve a wide range of spiritual roles; celebrating ancestors, warriors, motherhood, the Leopard Society and the spirits of nature. The prominent abdomen of this figure indicates that it belongs to the Buanga Bua Cibola fertility cult, and therefore supposed to protect children and pregnant women. During king Kalambam's social and religious reforms in the late 19th century, all palm trees were cut down in an effort to curb palm-wine drinking, scarifications were banned and cult carvings burned. Wood carvings were however reintroduced from the 1920es.
The 300,000 Lulua people live in small regional chiefdoms along the Lulua River valley in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They worship ancestors, both real and mythic, whose spirits are thought to inhabit rocks and trees. They remain one of the most enigmatic groups in all of the Congo Basin. Their economy is mainly based on agriculture and trade.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Ancestor figure
Bulu
Cameroun
Wood & pigment
20th century
26,5 cm
370g

I have absolutely no idea what this figure is about. It looks a bit like a cross between a smurf and a teletubby, with a Japanese Kabuki mask thrown into the mix. The arms resting on the breast could indicate a function of either maternity or fertility, and then there's the 3D studded ochre coloured pattern across the belly... Due to the influence of American missionaries, the majority of Bulu sculpture is no longer religious, but instead redirected at other purposes; carved gorillas seems to be a particularly popular subject matter.

The 660.000 Bulu people are a subgroup of the Fang, and are mainly located in the equatorial forest of Cameroun, as well as mainland Equatorial Guinea and northern Gabon. They grow crops of cacao, cassava and corn, and supplement these with a wide variety of gathered products. Hunting has also been a very significant pursuit among the Bulu.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Wood figure
Luba
Democratic Republic of Congo
Wood
20th century
28 cm
206g

The traditional Luba carvings are for ancestor cults, initiation, and medical purposes. The figures are often characterized by scarification patterns on the elaborately worked and polished body. The female figures are modelled in rounded forms, often with their hands on their breasts, and have what is called dodu; a stylistic tendency toward plumpness. This figure however, is rather slim, almost androgynous. It could be of the well-known Luba sub-style Buli. Buli contrasts strongly with the roundness of other Luba figures. The faces are elongated, with angular, elegant features. As always the hands on the abdomen signifies the intergenerational bond.
The Luba people has inhabited the Upempa depression since the 5th century. Around 1500, the Luba people coalesced into a single, unified state known as the Luba Empire, reaching its peak in the 19th-century. With the establishment of Belgian King Leopold II's colonial state in 1889, the Luba empire collapsed. An estimated 10 million Luba people died during the widespread attocities of King Leopold's monstrous and inhumane rule.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Tege figure
Teke
Republic of the Congo
Wood & pigment
Late 20th/Early-21st century
19,5 cm
160g

The Teke people believe in a supreme being called Nzambi, whose favors can be obtained with the help of carved fetish figures. Each figure has its own specific purpose known only to the owner. As the purpose is not related to its appearance, identical figures can accomplish success both in hunting or trading, or protection of a newborn.
In order for the figure to 'work', a fetish material called Bonga must be added. Bonga is, depending on the purpose, typically either bits of placenta, nail clippings or hair trimmings, animal or plant material. The statues with Bonga are called Butti; without Bonga they are called Tege.

The Teke people population are situated in the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gabon. Their economy is mainly based on farming maize, millet and tobacco, but the Teke are also hunters, skilled fishermen and traders.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Bust of African female
Tanzania
Ebony
Mid 20th century
28 cm
1032g

Handcarved ebony bust of African female. This inherited piece came into the collection in 1992. Originally owned by my grandma who had it around for as long as I can recall. I have no idea where she got it from or how. The piece is a generic, non ethnographic carving, probably intended for the export or tourism market. The hair style points to Lake Victoria, so a qualified guess as to origin could be Tanzania/Tanganyika.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Statuette of tribal warrior
Benin
Bronze
20th century
16 cm
620g

Benin is famous for its bronzes. Modern day bronzes are quite crude, but still adheres to the style dictated by the older pieces. Metallic statuette of tribal warrior holding a spear. Apparently it's bronze. We'll find out once the painted coating of faux patina has been removed.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Ancestor figure
Hemba
Democratic Republic of Congo
Wood and pigment
20th century
22 cm
220g

Hemba ancestor figures are called Singiti. The figures are hidden in a separate shrine within the family compound, and the focus of invocations during ancestral rites recalling heroic deeds of the ancestor.
Although a figure is the portrait of a specific person, the wood carver tends to portray generalised, not particular individual traits. The swelling of the stomach has associations with lineage continuity, and the hands on each side of the belly indicate the ancestor embracing and watching over descendants.

The 90,000 Hemba people inhabit the right bank of the Lualaba River. This region presents vast plains surrounded by high hills, bordered by streams, rocks, and marshes. The Hemba are primarily subsistence agriculturalists whose main staples include manioc, maize, peanuts, beans and yams. Crops are supplemented by small scale hunting and fishing. Some alluvial copper is panned from the river and sold to outside markets.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Spirit spouse figure
Baoulé
Ivory Coast
Wood
20th century
26 cm
280g

The Baoulé believe that before they were born, they existed in a spirit world called Blolo, where they had a spirit spouse; either a 'blolo bian' (spirit husband), or a 'blolo bla' (spirit wife). Sometimes if a spirit spouse feels neglected or becomes jealous, they can causes marital discord. When this happens, a figure representing the spirit spouse must be placated with earthly signs of attention such as offerings of food or money. Another way to appease a spirit spouse is to sleep alone one night of the week in order to spend time with the spirit partner in the dream world.

The 5 million Baoulé people is one of the largest ethnic group in the Côte d'Ivoire. The Baoulé are agriculturists; yams and maize are the staples, supplemented by fish and game; coffee, cocoa and kola nuts are major cash crops.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Etotoshi figure
Dengese
Democratic Republic of Congo
Wood
Early 20th century
29 cm
240g

A typical Etotoshi (King) ancestral figure. A distinguishing feature of Etotoshi statues is the lack of lower extremeties, ending just below the pubic area. The elaborate body scarifications has a ritual meaning, which constitutes a type of sign language. The placement of the hands on the belly refers to the common origins of the king’s subjects, recalling the relationship between the chief and those who are subject to his authority, and from which he anticipates cooperation. The neck rolls of the elongated neck, and the simple flared coiffure, are also typical characteristics of the Ndengese figures. The top knot signifies a person of the highest level of social standing; either Etotoshi (King) or Isikimanji (Chief).

The 12.000 Ndengese people are mainly farmers, hunters and fishermen, situated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north of the Sankuru River.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Akua'ba figure
Ashanti style
Nigeria
Tinted wood
Late 20th/Early-21st century
23 cm
93g

Tinted wood figure crafted in the style of an Akua'ba fertility figure of the Ashanti people. Although this particular type of carving displays traditional Ashanti features, it is produced across sub-Saharan Africa, from Ghana to Kenya. As such it could be Ashanti, but considering it was bought at the market in Opobo, it's more likely a locally produced piece.

A souvenir from a very good Nigerian friend and neighbour in London.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Technique
Period
Height
Weight

Seated figure
Dogon
Mali
Bronze
Cire perdue
20th century
6 cm
54g

Bronze figure of seated male touching his shoulder and ankle. Cast using the lost wax technique, by the Dogon people of Mali.

Dogon sculptures traditionally revolves around religious values, ideals and freedoms. However, as Dogon sculptures are not made to be seen publicly, and often hidden from the public eye, the symbolic meaning behind the individual pieces is often obscured.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Gold weight
Akan/Ashanti
Ghana
Brass
20th century
6 cm
26g

Since the 15th century the Akan people have used brass weights shaped as figures for measuring gold as part of trade arrangements. Beyond their practical application, the weights are also miniature reinforcements of Akan culture; expressing stories, code of conducts, beliefs, and values in a medium that was accessable by everybody. As money replaced gold as currency, the weights lost their day-to-day use and some of their cultural significance. However, their popularity with tourists has created a market that the locals now fill with mass-produced weights like this one.

Object
Country
Period
Height
Weight

Trilobite fossil
Morocco
Lower Devonian, 400 million BC
2,5 cm
27g

Not really a figurine, but it has still found its way to the figurine shelf, where it has resided for years. Trilobites are an extinct marine arthropod. They were among the most successful of all early animals, existing in oceans for almost 270 million years, with over 20,000 species having been described. The last trilobites disappeared in the mass extinction at the end of the Permian era about 252 million years ago. This specimen is from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, and although I'm not an expert, I'm pretty sure it's a Kainops Invius.

Purchased in a Geology shop in Copenhagen around 1995ish.

Object
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Akua'ba fertility figure
Ashanti
Ghana
Brass
20th century
22cm
394g

Hillarious brass piece by the Ashanti people of South Ghana. Although lacking the abstracted horizontal arms and the legless cylindrical torso of the traditional Ashanti fertility figure, the flat spherical face still defines it as an Akua'ba. Giving birth to a child is a singular rite of passage for the matrilineal Ashanti people. The inability to conceive is a cause for suspicion of poor health, or even witchcraft. The traditional solution for the barren woman is thus an Akua'ba. Wrapped in cloth and carried on the back as one would carry a normal African baby, the Akua'ba is both a surrogate child, a good luck charm, and an attempt to lobby the fertility gods for a child. Full-bodied figures such as this one are believed to be a recent 20th century innovation within the Akua'ba sculptural tradition. Considering the weight, and choice of material, this figure however is probably exclusively a decorative piece.

Object
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Colon statue
Ivory Coast
Wood and gloss paint
Late 20th century
32cm
248g

Colon statues, (derived from the French statues colon - 'colon' meaning 'colonist'), are a genre of wooden figurative sculpture within African art which originated during the colonial period. The statues commonly depict European colonial officials such as civil servants, doctors, soldiers or Europeanised middle-class Africans. They are often characterised by recurrent decorative motifs, such as pith helmets, suits, or official uniforms, and are painted in bright or glossy colours.
As a genre, colon statues originated in West Africa, apparently among the Baoulé in Ivory Coast. They achieved international popularity after World War II and decolonisation. It has been argued that the genre originated as an African response to colonisation and the repression at the hands of the colonial state. It is debated whether the statues were originally seen as satirical caricatures of colonial officials or simply depictions of new subjects in local styles. Whether the original statues were intended to be purely ornamental or also served a ritual function is also debated by anthropologists.
Today, colon statues are widely produced as tourist souvenirs in West and Central Africa.

Object
Artist
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Lulua war chief figure
Katumo
Bena Lulua
Democratic Republic of Congo
Wood
Mid 20th century
26cm
435g

Male figure depicting an ancestral war chief holding a ceremonial sword. The head comprises a quarter of the total dimension of the figure. The pointy hairdo and tufts emerging from the back of the skull symbolises power, and the position of the arms at right angles expresses virile strength. The navel is pointed, surrounded by concentric circles that symbolise life. His leopard skin garment identifies him as a chief, and his pendant necklace in the shape of a statuette forms a protective fetish.
The Luluas had protective statues for everything; childbirth, hunting, sickness, sorcerers, thieves, lightning strikes etc. Effigies like this on would be planted in the ground to protect the household when the head of the family was absent.

Object
Artist
Culture
Country
Material
Period
Height
Weight

Ngui devil figure
Katumo
Wakamba
Kenya
African Teak
1970es
13cm
161g

Tourist bric-a-brac from the 1970es. According to traditional Kenyan belief, there were good devils and bad devils. The Ngui devil was prayed to for food and wealth. This figure was originally part of a set of eight carvings that depicted gods, goddesses, and devils of Kenyan mythology. The figures were carved by the artist Katumo of the Wakamba tribe, and sold via the now defunct Kumbu Kumbu art gallery located at the shopping arcade associated with the Hilton Hotel in Nairobi. The Kumbu Kumbu gallery mainly specialised in selling local art to tourists. The gallery seized trading around 2014, and the entire Hilton complex is currently slated for demolition.