Vintage Oxidized Bronze Monkey

A small handmade bronze monkey with an oxidized surface and expressive, sculptural form. Made in Mali in the 1960s, it was used as a weight in the trade of gold and gold dust. Also known as Mbramoo, Ashanti gold weights served as practical measuring tools while often taking the form of animals, figures, and everyday objects. This piece may be an example of an Ashanti gold weight.