{"product_id":"8-tall-carved-african-nupe-door-gate-trade","title":"8\" Tall Carved African Nupe Door Gate (Trade)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*Origin: Nupe tradition, Niger River Basin, Central Nigeria\u003cbr\u003e*Era: Mid 20th century (estimated)\u003cbr\u003e*Material: Hand-carved hardwood, five-plank construction\u003cbr\u003e*Finish: Light, sun-oxidized honey-oak patina, softened hand-adze tool marks\u003cbr\u003e*Dimensions: 45\"W x 1.5\"D x 96\"H\u003cbr\u003e*Condition: Genuine antique wear, authentic loss at the upper left corner, structurally stable, original five-plank construction and reverse cleats intact\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQ: Why do some Nupe doors have five planks instead of the more common three or four?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA: \u003c\/strong\u003ePlank 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(Requires White Glove Delivery)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e • **Please bear in mind that colors of products shown may vary slightly from their original color due to monitor display settings or photography studio.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"DE-COR | Globally Inspired","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50561073283309,"sku":"IMG_6537","price":4295.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0288\/5256\/files\/6537.jpg?v=1787938979","url":"https:\/\/de-cor.com\/products\/8-tall-carved-african-nupe-door-gate-trade","provider":"DE-COR | Globally Inspired","version":"1.0","type":"link"}