Slingshot, Weaving Comb, Container, Flute, Lot n° 19

Slingshot, weaving comb, container, flute Bwa / Baule, Burkina Faso / Côte d'Ivoire Ohne Sockel / without base Wood. H 16 cm. Provenance: Flute: - Helmut (1931-2021) and Marianne Zimmer, Zurich, Switzerland. - Hammer Auctions Basel, Switzerland. Auction 63, 04.12.2020, Lot 18. - Christian Zingg (1956-2023), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. All others: Christian Zingg (1956-2023), La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Slingshot: Baule / Côte d'Ivoire. Flute: Bwa / Burkina Faso. Weaving comb: Baule / Côte d'Ivoire. Fetish basket: Guere / Côte d'Ivoire. --------------------------------------------------------------- Surrounding oneself with delightful objects is an essential concern of all people. This concern is particularly evident in artistic everyday and utilitarian objects. The creative will to create perfect solutions in the fusion of technical-practical and formal-aesthetic functions has led to amazing and fascinating solutions over generations. The ingenious design of combs, seats, musical instruments, smoking utensils, weaving accessories, cutlery, utensils or weapons, skillfully solve the combination of utility and beauty. --------------------------------------------------------------- The weaving comb is part of the narrow band loom. The warp threads run individually through the narrow slits between the dried palm ribs. After inserting a weft thread with the shuttle, the weaving comb, which is heavier and handier towards the bottom, is moved towards the finished fabric to strike the new thread there. The density of the reed determines the density of the fabric, but it must also depend on the thread thickness and the thread material. The width of the reed determines the maximum fabric width, depending on the loom. The height of the reed determines the maximum "jump height" of the shed. --------------------------------------------------------------- Flutes were used across sub-Saharan Africa in as many different ways as their forms were varied: individually or in groups, for example, as a signaling instrument, as a means of communication, for entertainment, or ritually at initiations, weddings, births, and funerals. In addition, they were status symbols, worn as jewelry, and were outward signs of the owner's affiliation. Further reading: Brown, E. (1999). Turn up the Volume. Los Angeles: UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History. --------------------------------------------------------------- Homage to Christian Zingg After his studies at the University of Neuchâtel, Christian Zingg (1956-2023) embarked on a career as a mathematics and physics teacher in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The overwhelming number of his former students and colleagues who attended his funeral shows the extent to which he was appreciated as a teacher there. His interest in art and its history manifested itself in various directions: At the height of his career, he purchased the Villa Jaquemet in his hometown, built by Le Corbusier in 1908. Before that, Christian had embarked on a long journey as a collector, initially turning to ancient coins. As a scientist who wanted to get to the bottom of things, he quickly trained in reading coin inscriptions and eventually became a specialist in Roman numismatics. Among other things, he co-authored the 468-page work "Les empereurs romains," which was published in 1994 and reprinted in 2009. Due to health problems, he decided to retire early and devote himself to his family and his passions. With a marked generosity towards his relatives and friends and an always open mind to new cultural horizons, he had started in 2016 with a collection of African art that very quickly led him, in his unquenchable thirst for knowledge, to seek information from the best sources, build a library, browse museums and visit auctions and fairs, not forgetting the Puces de Lyon, where he loved to stroll in search of unique finds. His passion never left him until the last moment, not even when he was lying in bed not far from his home, wishing that his relatives would bring him some of his favorite pieces, which he found difficult to part with. (François Mottas) CHF 200 / 400 Flute damaged at the "arm" (see photo). Flute damaged at the "arm" (see photo). ------------------------------------ The condition (wear, eventual cracks, tear, other imperfections and the effects of aging etc. if applicable) of this lot is as visible on the multiple photos we have uploaded for your documentation. Please feel free to contact Hammer Auctions for all questions you might have regarding this lot (info@hammerauktionen.ch). Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an