Abbe Bronze Armlet Currency
Product ID: A1000-144
$2,495.00
About this piece
A wide band of metal that once did the work of a bank account.
Abbe people of Agboville, Ivory Coast, West Africa, cast this armlet in bronze in the 20th century. Bronze rings and bracelets in the region were often worn as adornment and also served as stores of value or currency. This one flares outward toward the top edge. Incised hatching and leaf-like panels wrap the outer face, and a narrow split opens the band at one side. The surface is a weathered olive-brown, soft with age.
About five inches tall. Wear it on a wrist if you are brave, on a shelf if you are sensible.
