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I find the shape of the vessel somewhat troubling. It is unusual for Chinese art, more reminiscent of European aesthetics. And I must admit that I have not found anything identical in shape while browsing through hundreds of Chinese vases, vessels, and platters. The openwork wall is also not typical for China.

Boccio figures gain power and become effective only when they are charged with magical energy by a voodoo priest. In practice, this means painting the figure with a substance made according to a special recipe, which sometimes includes the blood of sacrificed animals.

So, I leave the final decision about the origin of the jardinière to the buyer, adding that I personally find its European pedigree most convincing.

We all agree on one thing. The object was created at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Antique dealers from Shangrilii even precisely determined its date of origin to be 1900.

The mask I offer is a dance mask and has no spiritual power. However, dance is an important part of all tribal celebrations held on the occasion of agricultural festivals, initiations, and funerals. Dancers, who can only be men, whirl around wearing masks and reed costumes.

I liked its austerity, the simplicity of the ornament, the contrast between the massive silhouette and the lightness of the tail made of thin brass sheet. I also like the predatory expression of the head of this dignified bird. That was enough for me to become the owner of the sculpture.

The sculpture is a testament to the political system under which many generations of Poles lived, and however we view it today, it is part of our history. It is a sought-after item among many collectors of art from that period.

This is the kind of elephant we are dealing with in this sculpture. I see a frame captured in a fraction of a second, depicting an enraged animal, where it is even difficult to make out the anatomy of the giant, because the overlapping images of rapid movement blur the picture.

I wondered for a long time what the bronze actually represented. I couldn't quite reconcile the headdress with my perception of a completely different region of the world. It was only recently that I found information that headdresses made of red feathers from the West African gray parrot were made in Benin.

 The leopard usually supported the seat of a stool or the bowl of a basin. In the case of this sculpture, it appears that it was created immediately as a representation of a leopard without any practical function. At least, there is no trace suggesting that it was ever otherwise.

Dogon sculptures, and the sculpture I am offering is a beautiful example of this, depict the human body in a simplified way. They are elongated with an emphasis on geometric forms. The figures are almost cubist. They have oval heads, square shoulders, and straight, long limbs that taper downwards. However, the stylization and simplification do not deprive the sculptures of their individual character.

In fact, it was only when looking at the oldest Beninese bronzes that I saw a certain similarity. The ornaments were somewhat similar. The roosters decorating the spoon handle could have come from Benin. The style of the animals depicted reminded me of Beninese art.

I decided to place the crucifix outside the category of tribal art due to its universal character, although I believe that the creator of the sculpture is someone who has been exposed to tribal art since childhood and grew up with it.