Double-mouthed ovoid wooden drinking vessels were used as personal cups by Suku headmen or regional chiefs for the ritual consumption
of palm wine; these cups ‘doubled’ as symbols of authority, status and prestige.
According to author Arthur Bourgeois in the article ‘Suku Drinking Cups’ in
African Arts Magazine Nov. 1978, he wrote; “The owner forbids all others to
touch it without explicit authorization’.
The exquisite patina of this cup is the
result of generations of use. Due to its age, there are 2 small cracks in the wood.
It is finely carved from one piece of wood, formed with two spouts, connected by a
bridge, with incised geometric designs on both sides.
The Suku people are located in the
Kwango-Kwilu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
DIMENSIONS: Height: 2 7/8” x Width: 4 5/16” x Depth: 2 1/4”
Collection, Allen Davis - Bio August 23, 1927 ~ February 17, 2025.
Ambassador Allen Davis, led a life marked by service, diplomacy and a deep appreciation for nature and a passion for collecting African art. He found beauty and meaning in the cultures he encountered throughout his life.
To view more of the Allen Davis Collection entitiled ‘African Brilliance: A Diplomat’s Sixty Years of Collecting’ an exhibit at Palmer Museum of Art, Penn State 2020 go to; https://exhibitions.psu.edu/s/african-brilliance/page/allen-davis
