Two mystic African fertility statues were on show in Piccadilly Circus after arriving from Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in the US.
The statues were hand-carved by the Baule tribe, who live in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa, and date back to the 1930s. Ripley’s acquired the figures in 1993 and put them in the lobby of the company headquarters in Orlando. Within months, 13 women, including some staff and office visitors, were pregnant.
To celebrate the arrival, loved-up couple Tom Yau and Elyce Vandersluys took to their bed to celebrate the arrival of the legendary fertility statues.
The pair looked smitten with each other under a duvet, flanked by the ebony figures, carved to represent masculine and feminine fertility.
Lucy Waddell, General Manager at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London said: “We are so proud to have these world famous statues here in London. We know from our American colleagues that women have routinely made special visits just to touch the statues.
“We encourage anyone who is intrigued by these wonderful statues to pay a visit during the limited time they are in the UK. If you can’t make it to the attraction in person, feel free to send us in a photo or copy of your handprint so that we can rub the statues for you.”
Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Legendary Fertility Statues from Ripley’s Believe It or Not! on Vimeo.