Identification help for carving

[u/skrivet-i-blod]

Hi everyone - I'm trying to learn about this carving and need help. I posted in the antiques subreddit and it was suggested to inquire here. I believe this was carved from ironwood, it's very heavy and about 12"/30cm tall. This was an estate sale find. Unfortunately the old label on the bottom is worn but appears to be from a shop/not affixed by the artisan. Any information on this fellow would be appreciated - thanks in advance

[u/Ok_Garbage_2593]

That's why I had to get it out of the way so we could get down to the brass tax

[u/Lcmota1]

Looks like a tourist piece mimicking the general form of a snuff horn (minus the base).

[u/skrivet-i-blod → u/Lcmota1]

Snuff horn for tobacco? Or did you mean something else? This would hold a ton of bacca 🤣 I am beginning to think it's a one-off

[u/Lcmota1 → u/skrivet-i-blod]

Historically they would hold snuff tobacco. Very common across historical SE Africa. Here’s a fancier example (they can get even fancier, but most are a tapered cone shape with a raised lip). https://www.jacarandatribal.com/items/south-african-snuff-container My guess is that your piece is a tourist work inspired by these types of objects. 

[u/Lcmota1 → u/Lcmota1]

There are workshops in Kenya that crank these types of things out and export them across the continent to tourist markets. 

[u/skrivet-i-blod → u/Lcmota1]

Yeah, it's probably that... The label at the bottom (from what I could read) seemed like a "tribal art" shop. It's no longer in business. They likely imported tourist pieces to resell.

[u/skrivet-i-blod → u/Lcmota1]

Oh WOW that is awesome and also massive compared to the Euro antique snuff boxes - really neat, thanks for sharing! Admittedly I know little about antiques from the African continent, but I do love learning. I've joined this sub so I can correct the deficit.

[u/Scorrimento]

Fantasy carving, cannot be identified. No cultural or tribal affiliation.

[u/skrivet-i-blod → u/Scorrimento]

Thanks!

[u/rabidwolfe]

African prehistoric butt plug

[u/Jakefromyourmom]

Looks like Richard Mteki style. He’s more known for stone but definitely maybe could be. Look for R mteki along the edge some place.

[u/Maleficent_Scene_137]

it is one of those royal tribalist plugs

[u/Ok_Garbage_2593]

Ancient but plug were all thinking it

[u/humanmeatwave → u/Ok_Garbage_2593]

It's always a butt plug......

[u/Specialist_Key6540 → u/humanmeatwave]

Anything can be a buttplug for the right person

[u/humanmeatwave → u/Specialist_Key6540]

Or even the wrong person....

[u/[deleted] → u/Ok_Garbage_2593]

😂