Exceptional Vintage Pokot Headrest

A similar headrest in this narrow, wishbone form — tall, with hide wrapping extending its length — was collected in 1902 by the viscount Robert Du Bourg de Bozas while on an expedition funded by the French to the region of northwest Kenya. That headrest, currently in the collection of the Musée du quai Branly (MET 55.146), was identified at the time of collection as Turkana. As is often the case, the locale of the acquisition is all that we can trust, as identifying the ethnicity of the actual owner or maker required communication involving an interpreter, personal contact and pertinent questions, as opposed to simply knowing one’s location in the moment. The present example was collected by Rolf Wichman, a German national living at the time (1950s-60s) in East Africa. The style is closely related to the often beaded Pokot young man’s headrest frequently encountered in collections — a style I believe evolved out of the present example during the late colonial years. $875

9″

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