Antique Kuba Loom With Raffia Weaving From West Africa
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:1741062 |
Antique Kuba Loom with raffia weaving from West Africa. Condition is Used.
Authentic Vintage Kuba Loom with Raffia Weaving, West AfricaWith raffia palm fibers and completed weavingMen weave the raffia base cloth & women embroider this with flat and pile weaves to create “Kuba cloth.” Now popular as decorative art pieces for the home, these Raffia weavings are still used indigenously to make dance skirts. “Kuba cloth” was first described by Europeans in the 160...0s by Portuguese explorers, who noted local use as “units of exchange” (i.e. money).This is a “MUST HAVE item for all "want-to-be-textile-curators’ without a budget or a museum”…
Components:Back beam rod (a split bamboo pole, cinched tightly back together to hold the upper warp fibers). Front beam rod (a moderately hard wooden pole) & 2 thin wooden splints over which the lower warp fibers are secured.Shed roll (a moderately hard wooden pole).Heddle rod (a long thin hard wood pole, carved and finished on one end). A long braided raffia cord, which is attached to one end of the heddle rod. This appears to have been how the loom & weaving was secured during use. This same cord was likely used to tie up & secure the entire loom & fabric during storage.A “Stick Shuttle-Batten” stick incorporates both functions into one well-crafted tool. One end is carved and notched for holding and transporting the warp thread in its back and forth movement. The other end has two parallel incised groves. The lower edge is wedge shaped and was clearly used as a batten. The Stick Shuttle-Batten has a nice patina suggesting this was a tool that was valued & has seen long use.Stick Shuttle-Batten and heddle rod are the only pieces of the loom that show craftsmanship. All the other elements of the loom appear to have a “found & modified appearance”, suggesting these were objects of lesser value, easily replaced.
Dimensions:The longest component is the “Stick Shuttle-Batten” and these are its dimensions:W 1.25” x 0.50” L 47.50 “
Textile on the loom W 24 “ (without fringe) x L 7.50 “
Hank of Raphia fibers (Still attached to weaving on loom) W 4 “ L 28 “
Loosely rolled up entire loom dimensions: W 6“ x H 5 “ x L 48“
Braided raffia cord L 99 ”
Condition:Very good intact used condition.
I perceive a faint “wood smoke” smell which is in no way unpleasant.One end of the heddle rod is carved, the other end is a broken end. This is how the loom was originally received. It does not affect function in any way and is not considered a defect.
Authentic Vintage Kuba Loom with Raffia Weaving, West AfricaWith raffia palm fibers and completed weavingMen weave the raffia base cloth & women embroider this with flat and pile weaves to create “Kuba cloth.” Now popular as decorative art pieces for the home, these Raffia weavings are still used indigenously to make dance skirts. “Kuba cloth” was first described by Europeans in the 160...0s by Portuguese explorers, who noted local use as “units of exchange” (i.e. money).This is a “MUST HAVE item for all "want-to-be-textile-curators’ without a budget or a museum”…
Components:Back beam rod (a split bamboo pole, cinched tightly back together to hold the upper warp fibers). Front beam rod (a moderately hard wooden pole) & 2 thin wooden splints over which the lower warp fibers are secured.Shed roll (a moderately hard wooden pole).Heddle rod (a long thin hard wood pole, carved and finished on one end). A long braided raffia cord, which is attached to one end of the heddle rod. This appears to have been how the loom & weaving was secured during use. This same cord was likely used to tie up & secure the entire loom & fabric during storage.A “Stick Shuttle-Batten” stick incorporates both functions into one well-crafted tool. One end is carved and notched for holding and transporting the warp thread in its back and forth movement. The other end has two parallel incised groves. The lower edge is wedge shaped and was clearly used as a batten. The Stick Shuttle-Batten has a nice patina suggesting this was a tool that was valued & has seen long use.Stick Shuttle-Batten and heddle rod are the only pieces of the loom that show craftsmanship. All the other elements of the loom appear to have a “found & modified appearance”, suggesting these were objects of lesser value, easily replaced.
Dimensions:The longest component is the “Stick Shuttle-Batten” and these are its dimensions:W 1.25” x 0.50” L 47.50 “
Textile on the loom W 24 “ (without fringe) x L 7.50 “
Hank of Raphia fibers (Still attached to weaving on loom) W 4 “ L 28 “
Loosely rolled up entire loom dimensions: W 6“ x H 5 “ x L 48“
Braided raffia cord L 99 ”
Condition:Very good intact used condition.
I perceive a faint “wood smoke” smell which is in no way unpleasant.One end of the heddle rod is carved, the other end is a broken end. This is how the loom was originally received. It does not affect function in any way and is not considered a defect.
