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Overview
A pair of vintage hand-carved wood giraffe sculptures from Kenya. The taller piece shows an adult giraffe arching its long neck all the way down to nuzzle a calf standing beneath it. The shorter piece is a group of three giraffes with their necks curving around each other and their heads turned in different directions. Each group is carved from a single piece of wood with a round base, and the open spaces between the legs and necks are cut clean through. The pale wood is hand-painted with rust and dark brown patches, with black manes, hooves, horns and muzzles. They suit a bookshelf, mantel, side table or a child's room, and look good displayed side by side.
Background
Hand-painted giraffe carvings like these are a well-known Kenyan woodcarving tradition, closely associated with Kamba carvers, and were widely made for the home decor market through the later 20th century. Both pieces are unsigned. Each is carved in one piece with its base; the tall group has a dark-stained base and the trio has a natural pale base with a textured top. The underside of the bases shows plain end grain with saw marks. Together they weigh about 2 lb 9 oz.
Condition
Good vintage condition with two older glued repairs. On the tall piece, the calf's muzzle has been broken and glued back where it meets the adult. On the trio, one giraffe's neck has been broken and glued, with a visible seam, and a small crack runs down the chest below that repair; both repairs and the crack are stable. There is light wear to the paint, rubbing to the ear and horn tips, and small scuffs on the base edges. Please see all photos.
Dimensions & Weight
The tall mother-and-calf piece is 12 x 4 x 4 inches (H x W x D). The giraffe trio is 8 x 5 x 4.8 inches (H x W x D). The pair weighs about 2 lb 9 oz in total.
Shipping
Free standard shipping within the US, packed securely.
