African ethnographic. Mali Dogon clay ‘spindle whorl’ bead necklace. Provenance

A strand of 21 clay ‘spindle-whorl’ beads. Comprises 9 round beads, 10 black clay beads with impressed white patterns, and 2 bi-cone black true spindle whorl beads with impressed decoration. I think the beads on this strand do have some genuine age to them, although clay beads like this are still in production.

Clay spindle whorls were used in Mali since at least 1000AD. Excavations in the old city of Jenné-Jeno established this. The old spindle-whorls were used as beads. See page 115 of ‘Africa Adorned’ Angela Fisher’ published by Collins 1984.

That clay found use specifically in beads for self-adornment is not surprising as they are cheap to produce, can be individually decorated and are durable. In fact, such is their resistance to damage and wear, they are known as “kolo” (meaning “strong like cow bone”) in the Bambara language. The key to the durability of Mali ‘Spindle Whorl’ Beads is in their production. They are made from the charcoal black clay found in abundance in the hills around Mopti and Kati. 

The clay powder, after grinding  is mixed with water, oil and Gum Arabic to create a thick, malleable mixture. This can be shaped by hand and impressed with various tools. A whitewash liquid made from ground shells is used to colour the carved sections

Provenance: Ex. Romy Rey Collection.
Romy Rey (1938-2020) was born in Zurich, Switzerland. She trained as an artist in Paris and Geneva before settling in London in the early 1960s where she was a partner in two bookshops in Hampstead and Richmond. She shared her life with the artist, Brian Davies (1942-2014). The whole of her five-storey house in Richmond bustled with her “impeccably curated” collection of ethnographic art. Purchased at one of the disposal auctions

Dimensions;
Strand length: 65cm
largest bead: 34mm diameter
Weight: 590gms

Condition: Good condition for age - see photographs. W1190/1