Antique African Stools & Hand-Carved Tables
Stools are among the most personal objects in African furniture — carved from a single block of wood, used daily for decades, and worn smooth by the people who owned them. Hemingway African Gallery has collected them in the field since 1975. Our deepest holdings are antique Tonga stools from Zimbabwe and Asante stools from Ghana, alongside Senufo and Bamileke tables from Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon and carved side tables from Ethiopia. Family-owned since 1975 and based in lower Manhattan, we import directly and ethically.
Each piece is photographed individually because each one is the only one. When one sells, it comes off the site. Most show real age — patina, wear, and repairs that come from generations of use rather than from a factory. Affirm is available at checkout if you'd prefer to pay over time, and large pieces ship crated: send us the SKU and we'll quote it. If you're in New York, come see them in person at 88 Leonard Street in lower Manhattan.
What You'll Find in Tables & Stools
- Tonga stools (Zimbabwe) — our deepest holding; low three-legged stools carved from one piece, each with distinct patina
- Asante stools (Ghana) — curved-seat ceremonial stools, a form long associated with status and lineage
- Senufo tables (Côte d'Ivoire) — sculptural tables and washboard-form pieces with tapered legs
- Bamileke tables (Cameroon) — round tables and king stool-tables with geometric carved surfaces
- Ethiopian side tables — colorful painted tables and antique ingera tables
- Rare forms — Baule double-sided stools, Nupe tables from Nigeria, Pende stools from the D.R. Congo
Why These Work in a Room
- Dual use — low enough for a side table, sturdy enough to sit on
- One of one — hand-carved, never mass-produced, never restocked
- Real age — many show decades of genuine use, not manufactured distressing
- Ethically sourced — bought directly from the owners and communities we know
- 50 years of expertise — we can speak to the origin of the pieces we sell
Explore the Collection
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