Authentic Antique Ashanti Bronze Gold Weight Beast - Rare

Late 17 - mid 18 century. African bronze with a rich brown patina" refers to historical artwork produced in West Africa. In general, a rich, dark brown patina on African bronze indicate significant age The distinctive rich, dark brown surface is a product of both age and the specific materials and techniques used by the artists.This is a rare, museum quality authentic artifact (circa late 1800s). This Ashanti Bronze Gold weight Figure depicting a Beast is a unique piece of African art. Lost Wax Method.From the old private collection of the internationally celebrated artist and ardent Africanist.Measures 3 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 1 1/2"The goldweights originate from Akan, Ghana. These were created over a period of 5 centuries -1400 - 1900's. They were used to weigh gold dust in the Southern parts of Ghana and in the neighboring parts of the Ivory Coast. From the 17th century onwards, Akan goldsmiths created bronze weights representing human figures, animals, plants, seeds and certain artefacts whereas previously they were abstract squares and triangular forms. They were used to weigh gold dust mined in the Akan forest and were made to thecorrect weight standards. Some of the figurines might look damaged - missing arms, legs or little pieces that is missing. These were removed to make the weight exactly the right weight.Gold dust was used to trade with the northern countries, which included towns and settlements throughout the Sahara desert. These weights came in two series - · one based on the Islamic ounce used in trans-Sahara and the other on the "mithcal" of gold dust (± 4.5 grams) 1/6 of the Islamic ounce.In the 1470's the Akan started trading gold with the Portuguese and the weights had to be standardized to the Portuguese weights.In total the Akan had 4 different types of weights depending on the trading partner. After the 1600's the Dutch traders introduced a heavier troy ounce and once again the Akan created a new range of weights to accommodate the Dutch.Most of the singular figurines represented Akan proverbs. They were also sent from one person to another as "messages". Many were made specifically for the King's treasuries.Akan Ashanti goldweights (locally known as mrammou or abrammuo) are weights made of bronze used as a measuring system by the Akan Ashanti people of West Africa, particularly for weight and fair-trade arrangements with one another. The status of a man increased significantly if he owned a complete set of weights. Complete small sets of weights were gifts to newly wedded men. This insured that he would be able to enter the merchant trade respectably and successfully.Many gold-weights, especially those representing animals, objects and people, are also associated with aphorisms or proverbs. In the past, proverbs were a source of incontrovertible ancestral wisdom and all chiefs, linguists and senior men and women were required to know many of them in order to be able to converse about difficult or distressing situations in allusive, metaphorical and oblique language.African lost-wax casting is a time-honored metal casting technique, exemplified by Asante (Ghana) and Benin (Nigeria) bronzes, where a wax model is covered in clay, fired to melt the wax, creating a void for molten metal. The hardened clay mold is then broken away to reveal a cast metal object, which is subsequently cleaned, filed, and polished. This intricate process, requiring extensive knowledge of pottery and metalworking, has produced highly accomplished and detailed sculptures for centuries, Proverbs appear to have been used in many situations, but particularly in legal cases, disputes, policy discussions at courts or within senior village and family groups. Figurative gold-weight forms can represent a wide variety of inferior, superior and equal relationships between humans, humans and beasts or between these creatures and inanimate objects. Some gold-weights, however, depict protagonists in popular folktales.The bird figures in this goldweight have wings that were formed using spiraling coils of beeswax threads. Not only does this show particular skill and detail, but such wings are symbolic of life and new birth. The three or four birds shown in this goldweight are sitting in a line, single-file, and they each look back, behind themselves. Such arrangements of birds are commonly associated with the proverb, Regrets are vain, which is equivalent to the Western European saying, It s no use crying over spilled milk. The last bird in this group is missing its head, which might have resulted from poor casting or from later damage, or it might simply have been broken off to adjust the weight to a standardized measurement.The gold-weight in the form of a bird looking backwards (sankofa) reminds the observer to pick it up if it falls behind you, in other words to learn from past experiences and not to be afraid to try to redeem mistakes already committed.Historically, goldsmiths were also responsible for making other items of equipment that were used in the weighing of gold, such as the cast or riveted brass boxes used for storing gold-dust (adaka), shallow brass scoops used to remove impurities (famfa) and highly decorative brass spoons (nsawa) for putting the dust onto the scales (nsania). Besides these items casters also made two different sizes of brass balance scales; the larger, known as akontuma, were used to weigh big amounts and the smaller scales, known as mframa nsenia (literally wind scales ), were so light and delicate that a breath of wind could cause them to fluctuate.The primary purpose of gold-weights was for use in trade, but some of the weights were cast with suspension loops or rings that enabled them to be worn, possibly as amulets and charms in order to bring good fortune or to preserve the wearer from harm.When not in use gold-weights were normally kept in special containers such as a leather bag (futuo) or a chest (adaka). Gold-weights owned by chiefs and kings formed part of their treasury (dampon kese) and as stool property (inalienable possessions of the state) were in the care of the head treasurer, known as the Gyasehene, who carried a gold key (sika safoa) or a large bunch of keys as a badge of office. The treasury collection might contain upwards of several hundred weights and were far larger than the ordinary man s futuo. In southern Ghana and Asante a chief was not allowed to use weights or to operate the scales, nor could he open the leather bag or great chest (adaka kese) in which gold-dust was kept. Instead he employed trained weighers known as afotosanfo, who, as part of their duties, were responsible for keeping the chief s household accounts.Weights belonging to a chief were stored in a special container known as a sanaawith a store of gold-dust. The sanaa typically contained larger weights, with weighing values in excess of 80lbs, which were used only for the most important transactions and judicial fines. They were kept wrapped in cotton cloths, which were enclosed in a piece of leather made from an elephant s ear that in turn was securely tied up with cords. The sanaa was kept together with the state regalia and ancestral stools in a particular room in the palace. The whole bundle would sometimes be placed in a brass vessel (kuduo) or an imported brass bowl (yawa) so that it did not touch the ground. Gold-dust, especially if there were great quantities of it, was also kept in cast brass or bronze kuduo along with precious items of jewellery. These beautifully shaped and richly decorated vessels were also believed to be connected to a man s ntoro group and also with his soul (kra).Another bundle, known as a futuo, contained the many smaller weights of diverse design that were used for daily domestic transactions. These weights, along with other weighing equipment including touchstones (twaboo) for testing the purity of nuggets or cast gold, were also wrapped in layers of cotton cloth. The bundle was further wrapped in an outer covering made from the skin of a civet cat (bata), antelope (adowa) or a monkey (akyeneboa). Small talismanic objects such as fragments of Neolithic axe-heads, glass beads and Islamic amulets (suman) were also added to the contents of futuo possibly as a means of protecting against theft, warding off harmful influences and bringing good fortune in trading. The futuo accompanied the chief whenever he travelled and was even taken on military campaigns. The futuo was carried in a finely embroidered shoulder-bag or leather pouch (kotokuo, pl. nkotokwaa) which was one of a pair, the other being used to hold the chief s gold-dust. The bags had protective charms of gold and silver attached to them and were carried by the royal treasury bag bearer, known in Asante as okotoku kurani.