Kotoko Bronze Equestrian Figure

Tiny legs, a crusted back and a handle that curls like a question mark.

This equestrian figure comes from the Kotoko of Chad, Central Africa, cast in bronze and combined with leather in the 20th century. Kotoko bronzes are commonly linked to the Lake Chad region, where riders and animals have long been shown as symbols of status. The body is a rounded, pitted panel, mottled with rust-red and cream. Four short bronze legs hold it up. A small figure sits near the top and a looped, spiral-ended handle curves out to one side, with a thin bronze rod upright at the other.

About 5 inches tall and wide. A pocket-sized rider with a lot to say about the weather.