Newsletter 09/2026 - Yoruba Bronze Plaque in the Ife Tradition

Our Newsletter for September 2026

Dear customers and friends of HALLER TREASURE CHEST,

We hope you are having a blessed year so far and that you enjoyed HALLER TREASURE CHEST's previous newsletters. In case it is your first newsletter, the link will be posted further down.

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In this newsletter, we like to write about a fine Yoruba Bronze Plaque in the Ife Tradition:

Nigeria · Mid-20th Century, circa 1950–1980
Lost-wax cast bronze · 32 × 25 cm

This month, we are pleased to share a particularly striking piece from the African art collection formerly associated with Peter's Antiques in Swakopmund, Namibia.

This impressive hand-cast bronze plaque depicts three ceremonial court figures, presented in high relief. The figures wear distinctive ceremonial headdresses and regalia, conveying a strong sense of status, authority and ritual significance.

A tradition stretching back centuries: The plaque was created using the ancient lost-wax (cire perdue) casting technique, a method that has been practised in Yorubaland for centuries.

Its artistic language belongs to the Neo-Traditional Yoruba Court Art tradition, drawing inspiration from the celebrated bronze masterpieces of Ile-Ife, the spiritual and cultural heart of the Yoruba civilisation in southwestern Nigeria.

The medieval bronzes of Ile-Ife, particularly those dating from approximately the 12th to 15th centuries, are renowned throughout the world for their extraordinary craftsmanship and naturalistic modelling. Their influence continued through later generations of Nigerian bronze casters, who preserved traditional techniques while developing more stylised forms of expression.

This plaque represents that continuity. Rather than being presented as an ancient Ife archaeological work, it is best understood as a 20th-century Yoruba work created in the Ife tradition.

A remarkable surface: The plaque has developed a rich, deep brown patina over time. Its textured reverse retains the characteristic appearance of traditional hand casting, while the relief composition gives the work a strong presence despite its relatively modest dimensions.

The combination of ceremonial imagery, traditional craftsmanship and the influence of the great Ife artistic heritage makes this an especially appealing piece for collectors of African art.

From the Peter's Antiques Collection: An important aspect of this particular work is its provenance. The plaque was formerly part of the private collection of the founder of Peter's Antiques, the long-established antique and African art business founded in Swakopmund, Namibia, in 1983.

For us, objects such as this are more than decorative antiques. They carry stories of craftsmanship, cultural heritage, collecting and the long history of African art appreciation in Southern Africa.

We are delighted to preserve and share this piece as part of that continuing story.

Visit our website today: https://hallertreasurechest.com

We are continuously adding remarkable new treasures to our collection, including rare original postcards from German South West Africa (GSWA) and authentic African art from the private collections of Dr. jur. B. Dobiey and Mr. Peter Haller, founder of Peter's Antiques in Swakopmund, Namibia.

Based in Lausanne, Switzerland, Haller Treasure Chest proudly offers a carefully curated selection of fine antiques, rare Africana collectibles, African art, and gift cards.

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Warm regards,
Haller Treasure Chest
Antiques • Africana • African Art • Collectibles