ring set

The Baule women of Ghana regard this doll as a fertility talisman. They take her along with them everywhere, for the doll is believed to foster conception. Winfred Korley celebrates West African beliefs and customs with a hand carved sese wood doll dressed in kente cloth and beads.

The Ashanti women of Ghana regard this doll as a fertility talisman. They take her along with them everywhere, for the doll is believed to foster conception, preferably a daughter. Winfred Korley celebrates West African beliefs and customs with a hand carved sese wood doll. Dressed in beads and kente cloth, she carries her baby on her back.

The Ashanti women of Ghana regard this doll as a fertility talisman. They take her along with them everywhere, for the doll is believed to foster conception, preferably a daughter. Winfred Korley celebrates West African beliefs and customs with a hand carved sese wood doll. Dressed in kente cloth, she carries a traditional fertility doll and is visibly pregnant. The artisan names her Akua, a name given to Akan girls who are born on Wednesday.

Ghanaian artisan Abdulai Osman Adam reinterprets tradition with an original version of the legendary Akuaba, the fertility doll of the Ashanti people. According to legend, there once was a woman who couldn't conceive, so the village priest told her to craft a doll, dress it and look after it as she would a child. Soon she'd have a child of her own. Custom persists and many women prepare their own Akuaba doll, and when the child is born, Akuaba is given as the baby's first toy. Adam carves this sese wood sculpture by hand, portraying her in blue and sitting on a throne. He adorns her elabourate headdress with African wax prints in cotton.

Abdulai Osman Adam reinterprets tradition with his extraordinary version of the legendary Akuaba, the fertility doll of the Ashanti people. According to legend, there once was a woman who couldn't conceive, so the village priest told her to craft a doll, dress it and look after it as she would a child. Soon she'd have a child of her own. Custom persists and many women prepare their own Akuaba doll, and when the child is born, Akuaba is given as the baby's first toy. Adam carves this sese wood sculpture by hand and adorns her elaborate headdress with African cotton batik and superbly detailed aluminum plates.

Robert Kofi Ellis designs an extraordinary version of the legendary fertility doll of Akan origin. Called Akuaba, the doll is characterized by a big round head, very short neck, open arms and a long lean body. Carved of sese wood, the sculpture is adorned with aluminum plates on the head and breasts, as well as painted red lips, eyelids and accents on her headdress.

According to legend, there once was a woman who couldn't conceive, so the village priest told her to craft a doll, dress it and look after it as she would a child. Soon she'd have a child of her own. Custom persists and many women prepare their own Akuaba doll, and when the child is born, Akuaba is given as the baby's first toy.

Made of rayon in a solid onyx color, this sundress from Bali possesses an otherworldly beauty. Made Suciati designs this lovely flowing dress, which gathers into lovely patterns along its length, completed at the bottom with lovely floral embroidery and openwork that is done by hand. This sundress is named Dewi, which means "goddess" in Indonesian.