Songye Double-Headed Thumb Piano Congo Rohner Collection

Songye Double-Headed Thumb Piano, Carved Wood and Iron Lamellophone, D.R. Congo

A distinctive traditional African thumb piano, or likembe, attributed to the Songye people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This instrument features an elongated, paddle-shaped wooden resonator with a series of iron keys secured across the upper portion. The handle rises to a striking sculptural finial featuring two opposing carved heads, giving the instrument a particularly sculptural and expressive appearance.

The broad wooden body is decorated near the base with deeply incised geometric patterns arranged in triangular and zigzag motifs. The dark, aged surface displays a rich, weathered patina consistent with prolonged handling and use. The combination of functional musical elements, geometric ornamentation, and figural carving makes this an appealing example of the intersection of African musical tradition and sculpture.

A compelling display piece for collectors of Central African art, traditional musical instruments, and ethnographic objects.

Provenance: John R. Rohner Collection
Rohner, a museum curator for decades, aimed his practiced eye for authenticity to African art beginning in the early 1908s. His passion for this art only grew through the decades he built his collection––always with an aim for a broad and representative array of pieces. The collection appears in his book, Art Treasures from African Runners (2000, University Press of Colorado). 

Item #519 on pg. 207

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