Yoruba Beaded Crowns: Sacred Regalia of the Olokuku of Okuku Ulli Beier

By Ulli Beier (published 1982) is a richly illustrated ethnographic study documenting the sacred regalia of Yoruba kingship. Focusing on the elaborate and symbolically charged beaded crowns of the Olokuku of Okuku, Beier combines striking photography with meticulous field research to present these objects not only as artistic masterpieces but as vital embodiments of Yoruba spirituality and authority. First published in Nigeria in a relatively limited run, this volume is increasingly uncommon on the market, especially in well-preserved copies. Its scarcity and depth of cultural insight make it an important contribution to Yoruba art history and African material culture studies, and a prized addition to any serious collection of rare ethnographic works.