Accession Number
1984/2.23

Title
Hairpin

Artist(s)
Kuba

Artist Nationality
Kuba (Democratic Republic of Congo style)

Object Creation Date
circa 1925

Medium & Support
brass

Dimensions
8 3/16 in x 1 1/2 in x 1 1/2 in (20.8 cm x 3.8 cm x 3.8 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase made possible by the Friends of the Museum of Art

Subject matter
Brass and copper hairpins were typically associated with a higher status. Often, they were worn through a dome shaped hat called a laket. A laket was also seen as objects of prestige and often worn by married men of the ruling class. Additionally, the geometric patterns on this particular hairpin are similar to patterns found on Kuba textile, basketry, sculpture, and female body scarifications. 

References:
Daniel Biebuyck, The Arts of Zaire, 1985
Georges Meurant, African Textiles from the Kingdom of Kuba, 1986
Roy Sieber, African Textiles and Decorative Arts, 1972
Jan Vansina, The Children of Woot, 1978

Physical Description
Pin with designed bulb-like pinhead. Head of the pin is round with its base flowering into four round petal-like shapes. Wrapping around the middle portion of the pinhead is a geometric pattern. 

Primary Object Classification
Jewelry

Primary Object Type
personal adornment

Collection Area
African

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Objects We Use
brasswork (visual works)
geometric motifs
hair accessories
prestige