MICE IN SHOE Shona Serpentine Stone RARE Sculpture 6 lbs. Zimbabwe Africa #403

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MICE IN SHOE Shona Serpentine Stone RARE Sculpture 6 lbs. Zimbabwe Africa #403:
$68.00

MICE IN OLD SHOE

ShonaSerpentine Stone Sculpture

Zimbabwe Africa

This rare, one-of-a-kind piece measures approximately

11\" long x 3½”wide x 4” tall and weighs approximately 6 pounds!

This beautiful sculpture has been skillfully hand-carved from a single piece ofSerpentine stone.

Theintricate detail and design of this piece showcases the unique color

and pattern of the stone andit has been polished to a shine.

Carefully chosen and skillfully crafted by talented African artisans,

each stone sculpture is a beautiful, unique work of art

which has traveled across the world in order to grace your home.

Click on “See other items” above to view more African treasures.

A MESSAGE FROM RIVER’S EDGE IMPORTS:

“Sadly we are closing our wholesale import business.

Our items consist of what remains of ourinventory,specialpieces

from our private collectionandother treasures we might discover infuture travels.

Quantities are limited and most items are one of a kind and will not be offered again.

Please don’t miss your chance to own it.

When it’s gone, it’s gone!”

History of Shona Sculpture from Zimbabwe

In the late 1950s, Frank McEwen, the founding curator of the National Gallery of Southern Rhodesia, recognized the Shona peoples’ affinity with stone, and their desire to express themselves creatively. As McEwen described it, their work revealed “the images they bore in their souls”. He established a sculpture workshop at the Gallery and invited the participation of aspiring artists. Those who were interested were simply given the tools and the stone, no technical training was given. The sculptors learned from one another and taught one another. This mentoring tradition continues today with aspiring artists learning by watching the masters. Artists draw inspiration from traditional culture such as mythology, folklore, rituals and beliefs. Women are also a significant source of inspiration along with man’s relationship with nature.

In the late 1960s, the world recognized that a new art movement had been born in Africa and leading international collectors started buying Shona sculptures. Zimbabwe is now known as the “stone carving capital of the world.”

Serpentine stone was formed approximately 2.6 million years ago. More than 225 colors and combinations of serpentine have been identified.

Verdite, also known as Africa’s “Green Gold,” is a stone particularly prized by some artists for its rich, deep emerald color and swirling striations. It is a semi-precious stone, around 3.5 million years old, which is unfortunately becoming extremely rare and therefore increasingly more valuable.

Butter Jade or African Jade is an ancient stone found in the greenstone belt of Southern Africa and is also becoming extremely rare. It dates to over 50 million years ago. Many pieces contain evidence of the beginnings of life on Earth in the form of Micro Fossils of Blue Green Algae.

It is the complex combination of these minerals that create an extremely unique variety of mediums and a stunning color palette for Zimbabwe’s artists.

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THANK YOU!!

SS #403