MEDICINE BOX - Batak Culture, Lake Toba, North Sumatra Island, Indonesia - 19th century

MEDICINE BOX - Batak Culture, Lake Toba, North Sumatra Island, Indonesia - 19th century

Name: MEDICINE BOX - Batak Culture, Lake Toba, North Sumatra Island, Indonesia - 19th century
Brand: Antikeo
SKU: GHK2JU922A
Price: 2600 EUR
Availability: InStock

By Gallery FCP CORIDON

2.600 €

Century 19th century

Style Tribal Art

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From: 93400, Saint-Ouen, France

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FCP CORIDON

93400 Saint-Ouen

Display phone number +33 6 75 98 11 19

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Description

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MEDICINE BOX
Batak culture, Lake Toba, North Sumatra Island, Indonesia
nineteenth century
Buffalo horn and brass
H .: 28 cm; L .: 23.5 cm

This medicine box made of a brown buffalo horn is entirely sculpted with anthropomorphic and animal figures. The carved horn stopper has an openwork decoration of three characters superimposed one above the other, hands joined. The first figure is seated on a Singa - a creature between the dragon, the serpent and the elephant, whose tail unrolls vertically in openwork scroll patterns that merge with the headdresses of the kneeling figures.
On the two side panels, the horn is carved with plant motifs incised in a register. The belly is left smooth while the inside of the curve is animated with a face of Singa, a gecko and an anthropomorphic figure. Singa refers to supernatural powers as well as high social standing in society. The gecko, called boraspati ni tano, is, in Batak mythology, a protective deity for the home and the fertility of the earth.
This box was used to store medicinal and magical substances such as pupuk.
The brass ring on one of the sides allowed a chain to be slipped, which was also attached to the end of the box: a brass button was provided for this purpose.
Its transport was thus facilitated.
Particularly rich copy.
Text and photos © FCP CORIDON

Ref: GHK2JU922A

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