This 96-inch door, a full 8 feet tall, is a monumental five-plank Nupe piece from the Niger River basin of central Nigeria, hand-hewn from five vertical hardwood planks joined by horizontal timber cleats on the reverse, more planks than the typical 3-4 plank construction seen elsewhere in this collection. Each plank carries its own distinct column of carved emblems rather than a single repeating pattern, a mix of geometric symbols, mask-like forms, and vessel and tool-like shapes suggesting trade goods and prestige items, consistent with the wide, mixed iconographic vocabulary typical of Nupe doors. There's a genuine loss at the upper left corner, an authentic historic fragment rather than damage from handling. The patina is a light, sun-oxidized honey-oak tone with softened hand-adze tool marks throughout. As the largest and most architecturally complete piece in this collection, this is a true statement door, suited to a great room, a stairwell with real ceiling height, or any space that can let its full eight-foot scale and dense, plank-by-plank symbolism be appreciated from across a room.

*Origin: Nupe tradition, Niger River Basin, Central Nigeria
*Era: Mid 20th century (estimated)
*Material: Hand-carved hardwood, five-plank construction
*Finish: Light, sun-oxidized honey-oak patina, softened hand-adze tool marks
*Dimensions: 45"W x 1.5"D x 96"H
*Condition: Genuine antique wear, authentic loss at the upper left corner, structurally stable, original five-plank construction and reverse cleats intact

A monumental antique Nupe door from Nigeria's Niger River basin, five hand-carved planks each with distinct symbolic emblems, honey-oak patina, standing a full 8 feet tall.

Q: Why do some Nupe doors have five planks instead of the more common three or four?
A: Plank count on Nupe doors generally scales with the width and grandeur of the compound entrance the door was built for, a wider, more prestigious portal called for more planks joined edge to edge. A five-plank door like this one represents more raw material, more joinery work, and more individually carved emblem panels than the typical three or four-plank examples, which is part of why width and plank count are both worth weighing alongside height when comparing scale across Nupe doors.

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 • **Please bear in mind that colors of products shown may vary slightly from their original color due to monitor display settings or photography studio.