Vintage Lobi Chair

A hand-carved stargazing chair, made by the Lobi people in the first half of the 20th century. 

The Lobi people span across present-day Burkina Faso, Cote D'Ivoire, and Ghana. Traditionally, the Lobi were primarily an agricultural community, who practiced animistic religion and rejected centralized government. They are perhaps most popularly known to the western world by their Bateba sculptures - anthropomorphic works that were used to interact with spiritual intermediaries they called thila.

Each lobi chair is typically one of a kind and carved from a single piece of Molave wood. Traditionally, a chair would be used for several decades by a single owner who would become strongly associated with his chair. The three legs indicate that this particular chair was likely carved for a man. 

The artist is unknown, but the chair likely dates to the early to mid 20th century.