hand carved

"In Ghana, an elephant raising its trunk is a sign of good luck," Francis Agbete says. Working in richly grained ofram wood, he crafts a pair of bookends depicting the cheerful pachyderms.

Crowned with tall horns, a circular face features shining brass inlay. Abdul Aziz Mohamadu crafts a bold African mask of his own design. He names it Monifa, meaning "I am luck" in the Yoruban language.

The mask is designed for wall display only and cannot stand on its own.

With bright colors and detailed designs, this decorative African mask will make an eye-catching conversation piece for your home or office wall. Ghanaian artisan Abdul Aziz Mohamadu hand carves the mask from sese wood then creates a stunning mosaic out of multi-color recycled plastic beads to create a work of art on the mask's forehead. A row of five marbles accents the center of the forehead and stamped aluminum plates rim the eyes, cheeks, and lips. The dull black face is further adorned with a circle motif scattered across the cheeks and chin and yellow and red accents on the chin and upper forehead. The artisan titles this mask Thamsanqa, a Zulu word meaning "fortune" or "luck."

Beautiful and sonorous, this djembe drum depicts an African elephant. It comes from Daniel Asante's skill and imagination. Carved by hand, the pachyderm holds the cup-shaped drum in its back. Hand-woven kente cloth surrounds it. The goatskin head is affixed by iron rings wrapped in cotton, and a macramé cord can be slung over the shoulder.

The djembe originated in Benin, where it is used during voodoo rites, and has been introduced into neighboring countries. It is indispensable in contemporary reggae.

Symbol of power, an elephant is the ideal insignia for this royal Ashanti throne stool. Master carver Nana Frimpong works with manual tools, diligently transforming sese wood into an admirable work of art.