Ethiopian Bench with Plaited Leather Seat

Bright flowers on the backrest, rawhide lacing on the seat.

This bench was made in Ethiopia, East Africa, in wood and leather in the late 19th or early 20th century. Benches and low seats with laced hide are commonly found across the Horn of Africa. The backrest is a painted board in red, green and yellow, with leafy vines meeting at the center and a few small marks near the middle. The seat is an open weave of leather thongs strung tight between heavy side rails. The wood legs are dark and slightly thickened.

About 27 inches tall and 35 wide. A colorful perch that cheerfully ignores the rest of the decor.