Carved wooden coffee table from the Naga tribe

Carved by hand from a single piece of wood (monoxyl) this coffee table is a piece of Naga origin that served as a day bed for a tribal chief. One of a kind, thin and long, with symbolic beaks of hornbill birds carved at one end. The elders of the Naga tribe slept on raised wooden beds to protect themselves from the damp earth in their huts.  The Nagaland tribes have similar cultures and traditions and form the majority of the population of the Indian state of Nagaland and the self-administered Naga Zone in Myanmar;  With significant populations in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India and Kachin State in Myanmar.  Naga tribes practiced headhunting and preserved enemies' heads as trophies throughout the 19th century and until 1969. This bed is exceptionally thin and longer than what is usually found. It is original and waxed for a richer surface patina, with signs of wear corresponding to age and normal use. The items from this tribal art shop were purchased exclusively in India in 2018 during a stay we had at the Mirage Retreat & Heritage Homestay at the foot of the Dhauladhar range, in Andretta Artists Village, Himal Pradesh, India. The owners of the bed and breakfast had an obsessive taste for the vintage ethnic furniture they bought on their frequent visits to Kathmandu. Like our hosts in India, we decorated our own yoga and walking retreat in the Basque Country with the same vintage ethnic furniture from India and Nepal. As we approach retirement, we are downsizing and moving to another region and looking to sell larger pieces from our vintage collection to other passionate collectors, who will house them fondly.

Ref. : 73XATJPK