This nineteenth-century Ethiopian chair exhibits an unusual form, with a cut-out design of four rectangles featured on the curved, enveloping backrest. Over time, the surface of the chair has developed a wonderful deep, lusty patina.
High-backed wooden chairs figure prominently in the installation of chiefs among different groups in southern Ethiopia -serving as symbols of rank and entitlement during meetings by the council of elders.
Ex Private Family Collection, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Tekalegn Besepa Collection)
Estimated Period: 19th Century
Diameter: 39cm
Seat Height: 41cm
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