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ID #SA1205332
FOR SALE
£895
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Large African Hardwood Carved Figure of a Maasai Warrior, Circa 1930.
For sale by Robert Belcher Antiques
for sale €1,047     $1,137
£895
Robert Belcher Antiques

Robert Belcher Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jul 2017
Browse dealers 409 items
  • About Us
    Robert belcher antiques was established in 1984 and is a high quality retailer of interesting, rare antiques and decorative items.
Id #SA1205332
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Large African Hardwood Carved Figure of a Maasai Warrior, Circa 1930.

1920 - 1940
Description

This superb, beautifully carved hardwood sculpture is of a native African Maasai warrior sitting in a semi kneeling pose. He has powerful masculine features and immaculately styled hair. He is semi naked with a muscular physique and is wearing a cloth robe buttoned over his shoulder on his chest. He is wearing heavy ear decorations and a tribal necklace and is holding a spear in one hand and a club in the other.

This most impressive carving is made from a single large piece of rich, dense timber, including the naturalistic base signed by the artist MWANLA. This large and decorative sculpture is in very good original condition with a very pleasing age related patina with some light shrinkage marks to the natural grain.

Height 50cm x width 37cm x depth 27cm

African circa 1930

Date of Manufacture

Robert Belcher Antiques has dated this Carved African Warrior Sculpture to the 1930s.

Independent Date Guide ID 09437324
Dealer's Item Date1930s
Sellingantiques Date1930s
Sellingantiques agingItem 65-100 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1930s:
Carved name MWANIA in gouged lettering on the base: East African maker's mark.
Hand-chiselled facets on the plinth: carved with hand tools rather than power equipment.
Natural shrinkage lines along the dense grain: decades of wood movement.
Deep, wax-burnished patina across the high contours: years of handling and natural ageing.

This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.

Physical Dimensions
Height
50cm (19.69")
Width
37cm (14.57")
Depth
27cm (10.63")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1205332
Dealers Notes

Robert Belcher Antiques was established in 1984 and is a high-quality retailer of interesting, rare antiques and decorative objects. After forty years of shop keeping and maintaining beautiful showrooms, which have been regularly open six days a week, Robert and Wendy have now taken a slightly different approach to their business. Having sold their retail premises, the antique business is now fully online. The picture framing service has ceased to operate because of moving online.

You can contact Robert and Wendy by email or telephone to discuss items from their extensive catalogue of attractive pieces and make purchases. Customers can rest assured that the long-established dealership is continuing to run in an exceedingly professional way, selling genuine and high-quality items which are guaranteed to please the most discerning collector, decorator or homeowner.

All items will be personally hand packaged to a high standard. Small items are extensively wrapped using the best materials and are often double boxed. Items are then shipped with DHL or Royal Mail fully insured and often with next day delivery. Larger items would be personally delivered or sent with a specialist antique delivery firm, or for outside the U.K, a professional shipping company.

Please enjoy viewing their collection of rare and interesting pieces and have the assurance that Robert and Wendy will do their utmost to make sure your experience is exceptional, as has been recognised by many customers who have bought with confidence regularly over the years.

Contact details

Email: robertbelcherantiques@gmail.com

Telephone: 01905 622468

Mobile 07929 011224

07720 607007

Website: https://www.robertbelcherantiques.co.uk

Instagram: robertbelcherantiques

Description
This superb, beautifully carved hardwood sculpture is of a native African Maasai warrior sitting in a semi kneeling pose. He has powerful masculine features and immaculately styled hair.
“
He is semi naked with a muscular physique and is wearing a cloth robe buttoned over his shoulder on his chest.
Robert Belcher Antiques

He is wearing heavy ear decorations and a tribal necklace and is holding a spear in one hand and a club in the other.

fig 1. A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base.
fig 1. Large African Hardwood Carved Figure of a Maasai Warrior, Circa 1930.

This most impressive carving is made from a single large piece of rich, dense timber, including the naturalistic base signed by the artist MWANLA. This large and decorative sculpture is in very good original condition with a very pleasing age related patina with some light shrinkage marks to the natural grain.

Height 50cm x width 37cm x depth 27cm

African circa 1930

Date of Manufacture

Robert Belcher Antiques has dated this Carved African Warrior Sculpture to the 1930s.

Independent Date Report ID 09437324
Dealer's Item Date1930s
Sellingantiques dating1930s
Sellingantiques agingItem 65-100 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1930s:
Carved name MWANIA in gouged lettering on the base: East African maker's mark.
Hand-chiselled facets on the plinth: carved with hand tools rather than power equipment.
Natural shrinkage lines along the dense grain: decades of wood movement.
Deep, wax-burnished patina across the high contours: years of handling and natural ageing.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
50cm (19.69")
Width
37cm (14.57")
Depth
27cm (10.63")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1205332
Robert Belcher Antiques
Robert Belcher Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jul 2017

Robert belcher antiques was established in 1984 and is a high quality retailer of interesting, rare antiques and decorative items.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Robert Belcher Antiques Profile Page

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A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base.
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Archive I A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base.

Large African Hardwood Carved Figure of a Maasai Warrior, Circa 1930.

Archive II A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View II
Archive III A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View III
Archive IV A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View IV
Archive V A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View V
Archive VI A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View VI
Archive VII A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View VII
Archive VIII A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View VIII
Archive IX A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View IX
Archive X A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View X
Archive XI A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View XI
Archive XII A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View XII
Archive XIII A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View XIII
Archive XIV A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View XIV
Archive XV A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View XV
Archive XVI A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View XVI
Archive XVII A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View XVII
Archive XVIII A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View XVIII
Archive XIX A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View XIX
Archive XX A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base. View XX
Enlarged Archival View
Location
Worcestershire
United Kingdom

By appointment only.
Verified Since Jul 2017
Items For Sale 409
Items Sold 682
Robert Belcher Antiques
Robert Belcher Antiques
Verified Since Jul 2017
View Dealer Info
Location: Worcestershire, United Kingdom, , By appointment only.
Verified
Jul 2017
For Sale
409
Sold
682
A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base.
Large African hardwood carved figure of a Maasai warrior, circa 1930.
Ref: SA1205332
A dark hardwood hand-carved sculpture of a kneeling Maasai warrior holding a spear and club on an integrated wooden base.
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Archival Detail
Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.
Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.
Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.
Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectSculptures & Carvings
  • Period1920 - 1940
  • StyleAfrican Tribal
  • MaterialHardwood
  • ColourDark Brown
  • MotifsHand-carved detail, Warrior with spear, Integral plinth base, Polished surface
  • SizeH 50 cm (20 in) x W 37 cm (15 in) x D 27 cm (11 in)

This large African hardwood carved figure of a Maasai warrior dates from 1930 in the African tribal style. The sculpture is rendered in rich, dense dark brown timber with a polished surface, depicting a male warrior in a semi-kneeling pose on an integral plinth base with the artist's signature MWANLA visible. He holds a spear in one hand and a club in the other, wearing heavy ear decorations, a tribal necklace, and a cloth robe buttoned over his shoulder, while light shrinkage marks appear along the natural grain. The piece measures 50 cm high, 37 cm wide, and 27 cm deep. This sculptural carving serves as a decorative statement piece suited for placement upon a sideboard top within a gentleman's library or study. The heavy ear decorations, the specific signature of the artist MWANLA, and the light shrinkage marks along the natural grain are all visible on the sculpture itself.

During the early to mid-20th century, artisan carvers across East Africa produced figurative sculptures depicting local figures, such as Maasai warriors, using dense regional hardwoods. These pieces were created both for local prestige and for the growing export market interested in African figurative sculpture.

Craftsmen used dense native hardwoods such as ebony or African mpingo wood, carving each figure from a single solid block. The process involved hand tools, chisels, and hand-polishing with natural oils or waxes to produce a dark, smooth finish.

Authentic vintage pieces exhibit natural surface wear, minor shrinkage cracking along the grain, and deep hand-polished patination. Features such as individually hand-carved weapons, anatomical detailing, and hand-tooling on the base indicate age and traditional craft.

A dark timber figurative sculpture provides visual texture and historical interest when placed on a sideboard, shelf, or mantelpiece. It pairs well alongside natural materials like leather, brass, unvarnished stone, and neutral textiles.

Dust the carving regularly with a dry, soft cloth or brush, taking care around delicate elements such as spears or slender limbs. Apply a clear beeswax polish sparingly once a year to preserve the wood moisture and maintain the lustre.
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