Lot 853: A Vintage Carved Hardwood and Raffia Shetani Style CD Rack
A vintage carved hardwood and raffia Shetani style CD rack, likely produced in East Africa for the export market. The stand features a highly stylized, contorted human figure integrated into the vertical support, characteristic of Makonde artistic traditions. The figure is adorned with a large, fanned headpiece and a matching skirt, both constructed from natural orange-brown raffia straw. The main structure consists of two vertical supports with numerous horizontal notches designed to hold standard CD cases, topped with a circular platform. The wood is a dense, dark-stained hardwood with a polished finish. A white adhesive lot tag is attached to the figure’s arm, which reads HCT Auctions and Lot 853 in printed black characters. No other maker’s marks, signatures, or country-of-origin stamps are visible on the piece.
Large-scale decorative items; exact dimensions are not provided.
Condition report:
The item is in good overall condition. There is visible surface dust accumulated within the crevices and CD notches (photo 1). The raffia elements are largely intact but appear somewhat frizzy and unkempt due to the nature of the material (photo 2). The dark wood finish shows minor surface scuffs and small areas of wear consistent with age and domestic use, but no significant structural damage or losses were observed.
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