African Wood Door Lock

Before there were keys, there were bolts. And before bolts were plain, someone gave them a face.

This wooden door lock, 20th century, was made for daily use in a West African home or granary. A horizontal bolt slides through an upright body, and above it sits a small human head with almond eyes, a long nose, a gentle smile. The body is incised with fine crosshatching, pierced with peg holes, and finishes in a shaped foot. The long bolt, hooked at the end, passes cleanly through. The dark patina is rubbed by years of hands.

Seventeen inches tall. A very polite guard.