Vintage Large Pair West African Benin Leopard Cast Bronze Statues 26in For Sale

OverviewA large pair of vintage West African cast bronze leopards. Each leopard stands on four straight legs with its head raised, ears up, and mouth open to show a row of teeth with long fangs. The bodies are covered in cast circle-and-dot spots, and the faces have incised whiskers and large outlined eyes. The surface has a green and white finish that is worn through in many places to show the golden metal underneath. At over 21 inches tall and up to 26 inches long, they are floor pieces, well suited to flanking a doorway, fireplace or console.
BackgroundAmong the Edo people of Benin City, Nigeria, the leopard is a long-standing symbol of the king (Oba) and royal power, and leopard figures have been cast in brass and bronze there for centuries. This pair is unmarked and comes without documentation. Both are hollow castings, and the open undersides show the dark clay core left inside, which is typical of lost-wax casting. Acquired at an ethnographic art sale in Washington, DC.
ConditionGood vintage condition with no cracks or breaks seen. The smaller leopard has an old repair to the upper front leg and chest, where the green and white finish is missing and the metal shows a darker brown tone. Both show wear, flaking and chips to the finish overall, which is normal for their age. Please see all photos.
Dimensions & WeightThe larger leopard is 21.5 x 26 x 6 inches (H x L x W) and weighs 38.2 lb. The smaller leopard is 21 x 23 x 6 inches (H x L x W) and weighs 31 lb. Together they weigh 69.2 lb.
ShippingFree standard shipping within the US, packed securely. Ships in two boxes.
SKU BA-1332

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