NEWSLETTER


Bruce Frank Primitive Art
New York City, NY
+1 917 733 9589

Magic Fetish, Parsimboraan

Toba Batak, North Sumatra, Indonesia
19th c

Provenance: Rodger Dashow collection
Published: “Indonesian Tribal Art”, 2015, pg. 224.

Sumatra is rich in tin, a malleable metal that is an essential ingredient in all bronze alloys. Parsimboraan are anthropomorphic fetish amulets believed to ward off evil spirits. Cast from a tin-lead alloy, this example is woven with twine and cloth, creating bulbous headdresses containing magical substances. It was hung from the loops around the wearer’s neck or clothing. This particular piece is cast in the form of a totem pole-like row of faces, resembling those seen on magic staffs known as Tunggal Panaluan.

Height: 7 ¾ in / 19.7 cm

Magic Fetish, Parsimboraan

Toba Batak, North Sumatra, Indonesia
19th c

Provenance: Rodger Dashow collection
Published: “Indonesian Tribal Art”, 2015, pg. 224.

Sumatra is rich in tin, a malleable metal that is an essential ingredient in all bronze alloys. Parsimboraan are anthropomorphic fetish amulets believed to ward off evil spirits. Cast from a tin-lead alloy, this example is woven with twine and cloth, creating bulbous headdresses containing magical substances. It was hung from the loops around the wearer’s neck or clothing. This particular piece is cast in the form of a totem pole-like row of faces, resembling those seen on magic staffs known as Tunggal Panaluan.

Height: 7 ¾ in / 19.7 cm

Privacy Settings
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
Youtube
Consent to display content from - Youtube
Vimeo
Consent to display content from - Vimeo
Google Maps
Consent to display content from - Google