Congolese Wood Textile Hanger

Carved terminal, open and triangular, a pierced center, a collar wrapped in pale fiber.

This textile hanger was made in the Republic of Congo in the 20th century. Cloth was among the most important goods in Central Africa, worn for status and given in exchange, and wooden implements made for it were often finished with a carved terminal. The shaft is round and full, thickening slightly through the middle before narrowing to a blunt point, thirty-eight and a half inches long.

The wood is a rich chocolate brown with a soft sheen and fine marks of handling.

Strong, simple, warm. Nothing to explain.