Africa

African owl mask with handle

 

Q:  I hope that you find interest in this discovery of mine from eBay.  It measures 14″ high x 7″ wide.  I think I paid about $30 for it.  I haven’t seen a hand held African owl mask before.  This one is rather beat up, and as usual there is no history for it.  Fred, 1145

A:  I’ve seen owl masks from a lot of places in West and Central (DRC) Africa. I’ve also seen a few masks with handles, but not the two in combination like this one. I hope a reader will help with a comment. I’ll make a wild guess and say it’s from the Bobo of Burkina Faso, which is where the previous mask was made. I like the simple design of the owl’s face, but am a little disappointed in how quickly the mask was carved. Still, it should stand out nicely in your collection.

 

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