The carved openwork design of this Akan duafe comb depicts a bird with a large beak and claws, and below, the images of a gun and snake. Adorning the handle of the comb is a series of zigzag and geometric designs. The large size of this duafe comb indicates that it would have been proudly displayed in an Akan household, as a prized possession. The iconography and imagery of Akan duafe combs have layers of meaning, drawing on Akan legends and proverbs, while also illustrating the relationship between the woman and the man who gifted the comb.
Ex Sandro Volta Collection, Switzerland
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