Rare 19th Century Royal Bed, Gurage Culture, Ethiopia

Bryan Reeves - Tribal Gathering London

19th Century Royal Bed. Gurage Culture, Ethiopia.

‍This amazing early bed, personally collected in Ethiopia in the 1990's, formally belonged to the collection of the late Tekalegn Besapa, Addis Ababa.

Carved geometric designs decorate each side of the bed and its four supporting upright columns. The side panels are connected to each column by wooden pegs, which, when fitted through holes and wedged firmly into place, tightly secure the joints.  The complete structure of the bed can be dismantled, transported, and stored.  The entirety of the wooden surface exhibits a dark, worn patina - particularly on each of the cross-supporting planks. This type of bed is rare to find in Ethiopia, and would only have been used by high-ranking, wealthy individuals and families of the Gurage community.

Estimated Period: 19th Century (Or Before)

Length: 220 cm

Width: 150 cm

Height of Supporting Posts: 75 cm

SPECIAL OFFER DURING WHITEHAWK VIRTUAL FAIR ONLY –

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$5,400.00

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