Bronze Birds, African Bronze, Lost Wax Casting, Ghanaian Ashanti Gold Weights

Description

Amazing Pair of Birds, Gold Weights from Ghana (Ashanti tribe). Asante Tribe
Lost Wax Casting.
In Ghana they used gold dust for currency for hundreds of years. These birds were used as Gold Weights to measure gold dust!
According to oral tradition, highly skilled artists claimed ancestry from Fusu Kwabi, who supposedly descended from heaven in the 1400s to teach men how to work gold. They also produced elaborate sets of
brass/bronze weights
,
scales
, measuring
spoons
, and containers for the weighing and storage of gold dust. Smaller boxes such as this were known as
abamphruwa
, while larger storage vessels were called
kuduo
.
I have had these two in my collection for many years. They were antique before I purchased them.
3 3/4" tall for the taller one
2 1/4 for the smaller one
Both are very solid!
I also include an extra little gift in each box.
Happy Bidding!!!
More about Lost wax casting:
Lost-wax castings The exquisite lost-wax castings are a fine example of one of the most famous metalworking traditions in world history.
The process begins with beeswax, latex, or another material with a low melting point. It must be soft enough for carving fine details, but hard enough to retain its shape. After the wax object has been carved, increasingly coarse layers of clay are applied to the object and allowed to dry.
The first and finest clay slips capture the wax details in the smooth mold, and the coarser clay layers provide strength. The entire assemblage is fired, causing the original wax carving to melt away, leaving only a baked clay shell. Liquid metal is poured into the empty mold and left to cool and harden. Later, the clay exterior is broken open, revealing the finished metal object beneath. In direct lost-wax casting, the object produced is always unique, as the mold is necessarily destroyed as part of the casting process.
Perfect for any collector!! Happy Bidding!