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Douglas Yaney
Authentic Antique
African Art Collection
Collection 3
Esther Kahonge Collection

Ethnographic Utilitarian Artifacts
 of the pastoralist peoples of Kenya
including the Turkana, Pokot, Maasai, Kikuyu, Borana and Rendille

This wonderful collection of utilitarian objects was collected in the bush several years ago by Esther Kahonge when she was doing research for the University of Nairobi in Kenya.   These pieces have been well worn and therefore may have cracks or other damage that has sometimes been repaired and sometimes not.  The repairs were  made in the bush with whatever was handy, such as strips of aluminum, leather, wire or even colored plastic, adding more interest to the piece.  In our "throwaway society" we might find it hard to understand why these people would take so much time and care repairing an object instead of creating a new one.  There is a lesson there for all of us.
We will not list all so called  "defects" so if this matters to you, please ask about specific pieces before making a purchase.
Thank you.

 

*Latest Additions

   

*Rare Maasai  leather bag. Hand made using traditional tools and leather thread, decorated with beads.  Kenya 
#EK86-60   $395

* Rare Maasai  leather bag. Hand made using traditional tools and leather thread, decorated with beads.  Kenya
#EK86-61   $395

* Rare Maasai  leather bag. Hand made using traditional tools and leather thread, decorated with beads & cowrie shells.  Kenya
#EK86-62   $395

* Rare Maasai  leather bag. Hand made using traditional tools
and leather thread.  Kenya
#EK86-63   $395

* Turkana girl's front made from goat skin and aluminum beads. 
Circa 1940s.   Kenya   
#EK86-65    $210

* Cowhide dress made and worn by Borana women and girls, cured with red ochre, decorated with beads.  Circa 1940s    Kenya   
#EK86-66    $250

* Cowhide dress made and worn by Borana women and girls, cured with red ochre, decorated with beads.  Circa 1940s    Kenya  
 #EK86-67    $250

* Turkana boy's overcoat, also used as a bed, rare.
 Made from goat skin, circa 1950s    Kenya  
 #EK86-68    $210

Cow bell used by the Turkana, Maasai and Pokot peoples of Kenya,
circa 1920s  
#EK86-53   $175

Cow bell used by the Turkana, Massai and Pokot peoples of Kenya,
circa 1920s  
#EK86-52    $175

Carved wood neck rest used by the Pokot and Turkana peoples of Kenya, circa 1950s.
# EK86-51   $95

Carved wood neck rest used by the Pokot and Turkana peoples of Kenya, circa 1950s.
# EK86-50   $95

Carved wood neck rest used by the Pokot and Turkana peoples of Kenya, circa 1950s.
# EK86-49  $95

Carved wood neck rest used by the Pokot and Turkana peoples of Kenya, circa 1950s.
# EK86-48   $95

Carved wood neck rest used by the Pokot and Turkana peoples of Kenya, circa 1950s.
# EK86-46   $95

This thinly carved wood container with top was used by the Turkana people in northwestern Kenya, circa 1930s.
#EK86-33    $375

Rare rattle type instrument made from a gourd, cowrie shells and leather from the Kikuyu people in Kenya. 13 1/2" x 4 1/2" diameter.   
#EK86-24    $175

Rare rattle type instrument made from a gourd, cowrie shells and leather from the Kikuyu people in Kenya.  12 1/2" x 4" diameter.
#EK86-25   $175

This beautiful gourd with top and decorative beads and cowrie shells is a container for water used by the Pokot people of western central Kenya,
circa 1950s
#EK86-26   $175

This thinly carved wood container was used by the Turkana people of northwestern Kenya, circa 1930s  14" high, 10" diameter.
 #EK86-31   $375

This thinly carved wood container with top and decorative beads was used by the Turkana people in northwestern Kenya, circa 1930s. 21" high, 9" diameter, (note: visible cracks) 
#EK86-32   $375

Natural branch neck rest, from the Pokot people in western central Kenya, circa 1940s, rare.  8" high, 6" x 2 1/2"
 #EK86-43   $150

Carved wood neck rest with handle used by the Pokot and Turkana peoples of Kenya, circa 1950s.   5 1/2" high, 6" x 2 1/2".
 #EK86-44   $95

Carved wood neck rest used by the Pokot and Turkana peoples of Kenya, circa 1950s. 4 1/2" high, 6 1/2" x 2 1/2".
# EK86-45   $95

Medium sized wooden bowl used by the Pokot and Turkana people of northern Kenya.  The bowls are carved by the women using traditional tools and an indigenous tree for the wood.  The bowl was used to  receive blood from the cow that is obtained by piercing the jugular vein and then afterward plugging the hole to stop the bleeding.  The cow's blood is mixed with the cow's milk and then sometimes when eating the meat of the cow, it is first dipped into this mixture.  7" h, 101/2" x 8 1/2" 
 # EK86-5    $295 

Medium sized wooden bowl used by the Pokot and Turkana people of northern Kenya.  The bowls are carved by the women using traditional tools and an indigenous tree for the wood.  The bowl was used to  receive blood from the cow that is obtained by piercing the jugular vein and then afterward plugging the hole to stop the bleeding.  The cow's blood is mixed with the cow's milk and then sometimes when eating the meat of the cow, it is first dipped into this mixture.  6 1/2" h, 13" x 7 1/2" 
 # EK86-6   $295
 

Medium sized wooden bowl used by the Pokot and Turkana people of northern Kenya.  The bowls are carved by the women using traditional tools and an indigenous tree for the wood.  The bowl was used to  receive blood from the cow that is obtained by piercing the jugular vein and then afterward plugging the hole to stop the bleeding.  The cow's blood is mixed with the cow's milk and then sometimes when eating the meat of the cow, it is first dipped into this mixture. 5" h, 11" x 6 1/2" 
# EK86-8   $225
 

Small sized wooden bowl used by the Pokot and Turkana people of northern Kenya.  The bowls are carved by the women using traditional tools and an indigenous tree for the wood.  The small bowls were used to drink milk and soup from.  4" h, 7 1/4" x 5 1/2" 
#EK86-12   $150 


 

Round water gourd with wood stopper used by the Turkana people,
circa 1940s. These are very rare.  9" h, 6 1/2" diameter.   
 # EK86-27   $350

Decorated carved wood ladle used by the Turkana and Pokot for scooping soup from the pot or sometimes used as a drinking cup. 
Circa 1920s.      15 1/2" long, 4" x 3 1/2"  
# EK86-29    $295

Carved wood ladle used by the Turkana and Pokot for scooping soup from the cook pot or sometimes used as a drinking cup. 
Circa 1950s. 13" long, 4" x 3" 
# EK86-30  $195

Very thinly carved wood container with wood top used to hold liquids by the Rendille and Turkana. Circa 1930s.  16" h, 6" diameter. 
# EK86-35   $295

Carved wood bucket used for milk by the Turkana.  
Circa 1940s.   10" h, 6" diameter.  
 # EK86-36   $280

Carved wood bucket with leather handle used for milk by the Turkana.  
 Circa 1940s.  8" h, 4" diameter 
# EK86-38    $245

Carved wood bucket used for milk by the Turkana. 
Circa 1940s.  7" h, 3 1/2" diameter. 
 # EK86-39   $245

Decorated round wood "food flask" container with leather top used by the Maasai and Turkana.  Circa 1950s.  10 1/2" h, 3 1/2" diameter. 
 # EK86-40   $360

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