Rare 54-Piece Ghanaian Miniature Stool Model Collection

Item Details:
Time Period: Mid-20th Century (apprentice /artisan training set)
Origin: Ashanti Region, Ghana (Akan / Asante)
Materials: Carved sese wood (some bodaa), natural pigments
Quantity: 54 individual miniature stool models
Provenance: UK Market, acquisition documented; direct match to British Museum holdings
Condition: Delicate but intact; age-appropriate micro-cracks & chips (identical to museum examples)

Description:
THE ASANTE STOOL – Seat of Power, Soul of a Nation
Among the Akan (Asante) of Ghana, the stool is sacred geometry: a throne, an altar, a soul-anchor.
“A stool has fallen” = a chief has died.
“Enstoolment” = ascension to leadership.
The Golden Stool (Sika Dwa Kofi) – said to have descended from heaven in 1695 – remains the metaphysical heart of the Asante nation. No one may sit upon it.
This unprecedented 54-piece miniature collection was crafted by a master carver’s sales apprentice as a complete “pattern book” of every symbolic stool form – identical in design, scale, and execution to the set held at The British Museum, see:
Akan stool model (British Museum collection)

Collection Highlights:
Asesedwa (Chief’s Stool): Crescent seat on concentric spider-web base; central pillar with leopard, warrior, or ancestor figure – symbol of unity & authority.
Dwini-Dwini: Bold animal supports for strength & protection.
Nyame Dua: Three-tiered “Tree of God” – altar to the divine.
Queen Mother Stool: Rounded seat with openwork sides – female leadership.
Golden Stool Replica: Rare gold-leaf accents – national soul.

Crafted primarily in sese wood (creamy white, waxy finish) with select pieces in bodaa; every stool features knife-finished spirals, adinkra motifs, and figural symbolism. Undersides bear original apprentice inscriptions matching the British Museum catalog. Miniatures measure 4–7 cm across – perfect 1:12 scale.

Historical Note:
“The stool is the Akan’s most potent symbol of continuity. A newborn receives a personal stool; a chief is buried with his. The object literally carries the owner’s soul.” — International Journal of Culture and History, 2022

Condition Report:
Intact, no missing parts
Light shrinkage cracks, edge chips, softened corners as expected due to age
Zero repairs – professionally conserved only for stability

Why This Set is Unique:
Only known duplicate of the British Museum apprentice collection
Complete typology – every rank, gender, and ritual stool represented

Perfect For:
Major African art collectors
Museum curators (reference set)
University anthropology departments
High-end interior statements