Fon Male Wood Figure withEncrustation Nigeria

Overall Condition: Good. Most of our pieces have spent decades on at least two continents, and have been treasured by several owners.   Small splits, scrapes and cracks are a normal part of their patina attesting to their age and extensive use.  We examine each piece carefully when we receive it and report any damage we find in our listings.  Please look carefully at the pictures which may also reveal condition and damage.

Damage/Repair: Well worn patina

The Fon kingdom of Dahomey, which was ruled by the kings of the Alladahonu dynasty for over 200 hundred years, reached its political and economic peak between the early 18th and the mid-19th centuries. After conquering numerous small coastal states, the Fon monopolized the region's slave trade resulting in phenomenal economic gains. The income helped to support the wealth of the King whose power was absolute. The Fon king was defeated by the French in 1892, and in 1894 the area now known as Bénin became a colony of France under the name of Dahomey.