Mid-Century Hand-Carved Ifugao Igorot Tribal Drummers Bookend Pair

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An exceptional and highly detailed pair of mid-century hand-carved ethnographic bookends depicting indigenous musicians from the Igorot (Ifugao) people of … Read more An exceptional and highly detailed pair of mid-century hand-carved ethnographic bookends depicting indigenous musicians from the Igorot (Ifugao) people of Northern Luzon, Philippines.
Masterfully sculpted from a dense, heavy hardwood, each bookend features a stylized figure in a traditional crouching stance playing a gangsa (a traditional flat ceremonial gong). The carvings showcase remarkable expressive features, including the iconic straight fringe hairstyles distinctive to Cordilleran artistry.
The vertical back plates are adorned with beautifully incised geometric wave-and-vine reliefs, demonstrating fine craftsmanship from every angle. With a rich, deep-brown espresso patina and prominent tool marks that highlight their authentic handmade nature, these sculptural bookends add immense soul, history, and structural weight to a mid-century modern library, global eclectic study, or primitive art collection. See less