OLDER 20 " BENIN BRONZE STANDING QUEEN Start Price USD 249.99 Current Price USD 249.99 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price USD 259.99 Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, August 21, 2008 End Time Thursday, August 28, 2008 Location TANQUE VERDE VALLEY See more about 'OLDER 20 " BENIN BRONZE STANDING QUEEN' Description  BENIN ROYAL   FIGUREBRONZE NIGERIA 23" TALL The kingdom of Ife was situated in, what is known today as southern Nigeria. This bronze head represents the final stages of their art and is an idealised portrait of an important dignitary. Ife art was discovered by chance during building operations in 1938, followed by systematic digging between 1949 and 1963, when the Oba (king of Ife) ordered work to cease "so as not to disturb the bones of his ancestors. Many age wear signs as well as some perforation of the bronze on the back of the head can be seen on this figure. It is covered in a rich patina.As far as the age of these castings are concerned. Examination by carbon dating and thermo luminescence place the classic peak of Ife art between the 11th and 15th centuries. Other works, mostly royal heads of which the majority was made of clay and some cast in bronze, were designated as post-classic and are from the 16th and 17th centuries. This is a much sought after collectors piece and a great item to add to a collection of Authentic African Art.The rosette on the crown above the forehead proves that this was indeed an Oni (King) and possibly female. It is rare to find the elongated crown still intact.  Small terracotta and bronze heads and figures, representing either dignitaries or kings have been found in and around the town of Ife. They date from 12th to the 15th century and display typical face scarifications and naturalistic features. Ife style is reminiscent of that of Benin, which flourished in the 16th century. Despite the disappearance of the people responsible for the ancient Ife art, people leaving on its territory continued to produce artwork inspired by the original masterpieces discovered during archeological excavations. The function of such pieces is far from certain. This bronze clearly represents the  the  king with crown. It is possible that it was made for place mant on an ancestor altar as part of a funeral rite that marked the passing of the individual king while celebrating the eternity of kingship. Apparently it was cast in  MID  20th century. A  DARK GREEN GREY PATINA. CONDITION - EXCELLENT   SHIPPING $ 35.00  USA$47.00    INTERNATIONALALL ITEMS SHIPPED INSURED VALUE $ 650.00 - $ 750.00 COMPARE WITH OTHER BENIN AND IFE BRONZES AND THEN MAKE AN INVESTMENT HERE. I'M ALMOST GIVING THEM AWAY ! *** Please note that all old used Arts will have minor imperfections, chips, agecracks and other minor irregularities.*** If you cannot live with that or want a perfect piece, Please do not bid as old used items are never perfect. I will try my best to point out anything beyond that in my item descriptions.*** PLEASE READ THE LISTING BEFORE BIDDING . DO NOT BID IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO PAY. Return Policy: All items purchased can be returned for a refund within 14 days if item is not as described. POLICIES: Buyer prepays, plus shipping and handling. INSURANCE is INCLUDEDInternational postage will vary depending on country. Winning bidders outside of the United States recieve  Air Mail. After the auction has ended, I will send you email notification of your winning bid, requesting your shipping information. Upon your reply, due within 3 business days, I will email you with complete information for mailing in your payment or charging  through PayPal (available for U.S. customers and now most International countries). Payments are due within 14 days from close of auction. Seller reserves the right to relist item if payment is not received within stated time. Please check out my feedback comments left by ALL MY satisfied customers regarding my accuracy of descriptions, quality of merchandise and care in shipping. As an Ebay Seller we guarantee our descriptions to be accurate. Sorry, no refunds for buyer’s remorse. I invite you to please view my listing of other current eBay auctions. Multiple auctions won by the same bidder can be combined to help save on postage. SELLER RETAINS THE RIGHT TO NOT SELL TO ANY BIDDER  Winning bidders,Please follow the Auto Response          URL and enter your mailing address, so that your merchandise will be sent to the correct address. Payment methods: If paying with a check or money order, follow the CONGRATULATIONS response E mail for our mailing address. If paying with credit cards through  PAYPAL, My account email is ethnoartsinc@netscape.net E mail if you have any questions or would like an invoice  or Paypal. SO HAPPY BIDDING , HAVE                                A GREAT DAY AND GOOD LUCK Place a Bid!