Vintage African Soapstone Sculpture. An abstract interpretation of a hug, looking like two people hugging. The statue is in great condition, there is no signature on it, and the base shows a chip underneath, as shown in the photo.
Dimensions are 10 cm tall x 8 cm wide approx
Soapstone is soft to the touch, it gives you the smooth feeling of rubbing a piece of dry soap. Thus the name was derived as “soap” stone.
It is mined and worked by the Kisii people of the Tabaka Hills in western Kenya and the only place it is found in the region.
Soapstone is a metamorphic rock that consists of the mineral talc. Also commonly referred to as steatite, it is known for being soft and easy to work with. While the stone was primarily used for domestic purposes such as basketry and pottery, it is now used to create unique handmade carvings. This would be a wonderful sculpture to adorn or home or collection.
There are 3 different kinds, white being the softest, peach pink and black being the hardest and rarest.
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Please check the photos for the condition of the product. I try to present colours as accurately as I can, but keep in mind that colours may show up differently on different screens and devices.
Please be aware when you are buying vintage products (such as glassware, stoneware, ceramics, etc) you should expect some age related signs of wear such as very small fine surface scratches/marks. Also many of the items are hand made, they may have small imperfections such as bubbles, inclusions & lumps within the glass and often tool marks from where they have been shaped and worked in the manufacturing process. These are not usually seen by collectors as faults or damage, but as part of the character of hand made glass and are not usually mentioned in the description.
