1950 Kenyan Hand-Painted Lacquered Bangle — Ochre, Rose & Maroon Inlay Pattern

$285.00

Provenance:

Acquired by Helen and Sinclair Weeks during their 1950 travels through Kenya, this hand-painted bangle exemplifies mid-century East African craftsmanship and the refined eye for design that marked the Weeks’ global collection.

Description:

Hand-carved from richly shellacked wood, this extraordinary bangle features a delicate hand-painted pattern of ochre, rose, and charcoal-black tones applied in rhythmic dot motifs across the exterior — a design reminiscent of traditional East African textile and beadwork artistry. Inside, a deep maroon inlay gleams softly under the lacquered finish, creating a luxurious contrast that highlights the artisan’s attention to both structure and surface.

The craftsmanship is entirely by hand, with each pigment dot and each layer of shellac carefully applied to achieve the piece’s glossy depth. Its design is both decorative and architectural — a wearable artifact of the artistic dialogue between tradition and mid-century modernism.

Details:

  • Origin: Kenya, 1950

  • Material: Shellacked hardwood with hand-painted natural pigments

  • Colors: Ochre, rose, black, and deep maroon interior inlay

  • Condition: Excellent vintage condition with gentle, even patina

  • Inner Diameter: (fill in measurement)

This bangle is a jewel of color and form — collected during the same journey through Kenya as its darker sister piece. The deep maroon inlay adds an unexpected richness, echoing the precision and creativity of East African artisanship in the 1950s. An extraordinary example of handwork meeting timeless elegance.

Provenance:

Acquired by Helen and Sinclair Weeks during their 1950 travels through Kenya, this hand-painted bangle exemplifies mid-century East African craftsmanship and the refined eye for design that marked the Weeks’ global collection.

Description:

Hand-carved from richly shellacked wood, this extraordinary bangle features a delicate hand-painted pattern of ochre, rose, and charcoal-black tones applied in rhythmic dot motifs across the exterior — a design reminiscent of traditional East African textile and beadwork artistry. Inside, a deep maroon inlay gleams softly under the lacquered finish, creating a luxurious contrast that highlights the artisan’s attention to both structure and surface.

The craftsmanship is entirely by hand, with each pigment dot and each layer of shellac carefully applied to achieve the piece’s glossy depth. Its design is both decorative and architectural — a wearable artifact of the artistic dialogue between tradition and mid-century modernism.

Details:

  • Origin: Kenya, 1950

  • Material: Shellacked hardwood with hand-painted natural pigments

  • Colors: Ochre, rose, black, and deep maroon interior inlay

  • Condition: Excellent vintage condition with gentle, even patina

  • Inner Diameter: (fill in measurement)

This bangle is a jewel of color and form — collected during the same journey through Kenya as its darker sister piece. The deep maroon inlay adds an unexpected richness, echoing the precision and creativity of East African artisanship in the 1950s. An extraordinary example of handwork meeting timeless elegance.