Description
Carved by hand from sustainably sourced Ankole cattle horn, this sculptural napkin ring is a sleek way to elevate a pizza night place setting or round out a holiday table. The smooth shape highlights natural striations of the horn, which range from creamy ivory to deep brown and black—no two pieces are exactly alike. (And it works just as well as a scarf slide or lightweight shawl buckle.)
Horn is a durable, traditional material in East Africa, and here it's thoughtfully upcycled from a byproduct of the food industry. Each ring is shaped and polished by artisans in a small Fair Trade cooperative in Uganda.
Museum Story
The National Museum of African Art began as a private educational institution in 1964 to promote cross-cultural understanding in the social sciences and arts. Founded by Warren M. Robbins, it was known as the Museum of African Art and located on Capitol Hill in a townhouse that had been the home of Frederick Douglass, the African American abolitionist and statesman. In 1979 the museum became part of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum and research complex dedicated to the increase and diffusion of knowledge.
Details
- Sustainably sourced cattle horn
- Natural colors will vary from white to brown to black
- Approx. 2.75" diam.
- Hand wash
- Handcrafted in Uganda
