Lot 1060

Description

Primitive money, Africa, Congo, Welle tribe people, anklet money or Mbole, large cast semi circular crescents used as money, external diameter 25 cm., overall height 16 cm, internal diameter 13 cm, weight 2,070 g; (Opitz p.279 for illustration). Very fine and very scarce.

Mbole Currency. Traditionally, these heavy copper 'anklet' forms were recognized and used as currency for rare but major transactions. The Mbole, are a small group of about 150,000 people in South Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire), and made ankle currency bracelets of copper. They were worn by both men and women and these large rounded anklets were offered by the husband to his wife to be a part of the marriage contract. These anklets were forged and hammered from a single copper ingot. They have become so popular as decorative objects, especially when displayed alongside contemporary art that they are now being created especially for the art market.