Among the Bamana, oral traditions credit a mythical being named Ci Wara, a divine being half mortal and half antelope.  Under Ci Wara's guidance, humans first learned to cultivate land and became prosperous farmers. When humans gradually became careless and...

Mali Dogon masks, such as this one called kanaga, are worn primarily at dama, a collective funerary rite for Dogon men. The ritual’s goal is to ensure the safe passage of the spirits of the deceased to the world of the ancestors....

Congo Lwalwa people inhabit the triangle formed by the Kasai River and its tributary, the Lweta, southwest of the former Kasai province, DRC. This mask, Mvondo, is worn only by men.  It displays an enlarged angular nose (modeled after a...

Mali The Senufo consist of a diverse subgroups living in a region spanning Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso.  Senufo peoples are agricultural, their major crops including corn and millet.  They are outstanding musicians, and are internationally famous for their...

Cote d’Ivoire The Baoule are an Akan people and one of the largest groups in Cote d’Ivoire.  Traditionally farmers living in a triangle-shaped region between the two rivers of Bandama and N’Zi.  They waged the longest war of resistance to...

The Yoruba people are an ethnic group of south-west and north- central Nigeria and constitute over 40 million people in total. With olive shaped eyes and a small round mouth, this is a representation of a young beautiful female figure....

Cote d’Ivoire The Baoule are an Akan people and one of the largest groups in Cote d’Ivoire.  Traditionally farmers living in a triangle-shaped region between the two rivers of Bandama and N’Zi.  They waged the longest war of resistance to...

Mali The Senufu male figure holding a staff and an egg is a rare representation of fertility. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai runs an interior design and architectural practice based in the FrenchAlps. An experienced traveller and avid collector of...

Cote d’Ivoire The Baoule are an Akan people and one of the largest groups in Cote d’Ivoire.  Traditionally farmers living in a triangle-shaped region between the two rivers of Bandama and N’Zi.  They waged the longest war of resistance to...

Cote d’Ivoire The Baoule are an Akan people and one of the largest groups in Cote d’Ivoire.  Traditionally farmers living in a triangle-shaped region between the two rivers of Bandama and N’Zi.  They waged the longest war of resistance to...

Cote d’Ivoire The Baoule are an Akan people and one of the largest groups in Cote d’Ivoire.  Traditionally farmers living in a triangle-shaped region between the two rivers of Bandama and N’Zi.  They waged the longest war of resistance to...

H. 115 - W. 53 cm Rare Papuan helmet mask made from cowrie shell combined with feathers from the cassowary bird and white corns. The cassowary bird are flightless birds native to the tropical forests of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea...

H. 54 - W. 39 cm Rare Papuan necklace made from cassowary bird feather and porcupine spikes. Originally worn by woman during tribal ceremonial rituals. The cassowary bird are flightless birds native to the tropical forests of Indonesia, Papua New...

H. 60 - W. 40 cm Northern Papuan necklace made of multi-coloured fringe surrounding a central shell ornament. Traditionally these necklaces were worn as a war costume. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai runs an interior design and architectural practice based...

H. 40 - W. 21 cm Papuan necklace with natural brown and cream coloured pelor shells. This simple contemporary piece is typically worn by young woman. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai runs an interior design and architectural practice based in...

H. 40 - W. 21 cm Papuan necklace with natural brown and cream coloured pelor shells. This simple contemporary piece is typically worn by young woman. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai runs an interior design and architectural practice based in...

H. 55 - W. 39 cm Papuan jute & shell necklace handcrafted with a central black moon shell design finished with a jute fringe. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai runs an interior design and architectural practice based in the FrenchAlps. An...

H. 60 - W. 31 cm Rare Papuan helmet made from cowrie shell combined with onem and fish bones. This helmet was traditionally worn by woman during ceremonial rituals before harvest season. Today these helmets are used as decorative adornment....

H. 36 - W. 37 cm 3-layered decorative Papuan necklace with medium sized olon shells. The shells have a unique maroon vein running through them. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai runs an interior design and architectural practice based in the...

H. 60 - W. 40 cm Decorative papuan necklace made of white handcrafted boho feathers and cowrie shells. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai runs an interior design and architectural practice based in the FrenchAlps. An experienced traveller and avid collector...

H. 70 - W. 38 cm\ From southern Papua, this contemporary necklace is made of black hen fighter feathers surrounding a unique buteng shell, which was historically used as a tool for payment between tribes. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai...

H. 67 - W. 32 cm Traditionally worn as ceremonial adornment by the elder woman in the community, this unique Papuan necklace is made with large uniform monyet shells. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai runs an interior design and architectural...

H. 70 - W. 52 cm The queen of Papuan necklaces, this decorative piece is made of boho black and white hen fighter feathers and traditionally would be used as a tool for payment between tribes. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan...

H. 44 - W. 40 cm 3-layered burgundy and cream-coloured Papuan sea shelled decorative necklace. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai runs an interior design and architectural practice based in the FrenchAlps. An experienced traveller and avid collector of tribal arts,...

H. 35 - W. 36 cm Made of two sizes of white buly kayak shells, this is a contemporary decorative necklace from central Papua. ABOUT THE COLLECTOR Marjan Ertefai runs an interior design and architectural practice based in the FrenchAlps....

H. 58 - W. 27 cm From northern Papua, this necklace is made of feathers from the Cassowary bird, which are flightless birds native to the tropical forests of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and northeast Australia. The round cut onem...