A Nkutsu or Jonga Metal Gong
Sale 1246 - Pre-Columbian & Ethnographic Art
Oct 12, 2023
10:00AM CT
Online / Chicago
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$800 -
1,200
Lot Description
A Nkutsu or Jonga Metal Gong
Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, 20th Century
Height 20 1/4 inches (51.44 cm).
Provenance:
Property from the Estate of Shirley Hughes, Barrington, Illinois.
Gongs like this present example hold significance beyond their culture, being utilized in various African societies as currency. Skilled Nkutsu and Jonga blacksmiths crafted these metal objects and symbolized brotherhood, struck with rubber-tipped sticks to set music rhythm, ritual cadence, and religious ceremonies. Only specific members could play them. Gongs like this one are vanishing from Africa as metal smelters collect and melt them.
Condition Report
Height with stand 23 inches (58.42 cm).
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