The famous Dadaist began collecting tribal art in 1917 and only stopped just before his death in 1963. This impressive 2ft 6in (76cm) high covered cup or bowl was one of the highlights of his collection.
It dates from the 19th century or earlier and comes from the Dogon peoples in what is now Mali in West Africa and would have belonged to a Hogon, a high-ranking spiritual leader in Dogon society.
It features an equestrian figure on the finial while another horse is carved as the support. Horses are rare in the Dogon and this reinforces the high social status of its owner. The Hogon, who lived separately from his family, would have used it in religious ceremonies and after his death it would have passed to his successor.
Following the dispersal of Tzara’s collection at auction in 1988, the cup then belonged to the Paris dealer Alain de Monbrison and to the collection of Lucien van de Velde in Antwerp.
It has an estimate of €180,000-250,000.
