|
Unusual Mexican decorative mask
Modern Maori woman's chin tattoo
Unusual Mexican decorative mask
Modern Maori woman's chin tattoo
|
Unusual Mexican decorative mask
Modern Maori woman's chin tattoo
Free Guide - No Catch
Mistakes & Pitfalls African Mask Collectors Make - and How to Avoid Them
The African mask market is flooded with brilliant fakes, and even the experts have been fooled. This free guide covers the physical checks, the provenance red flags, and the counterintuitive truth about what's actually worth buying. Written from 9+ years in the field.
3 Comments
Bob Ibold
George reacted quickly with this email message…
“Thanks for getting back to me. I heard from a curator at Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum today, who said “The mask is similar in style to pieces from Benin. It is certainly not Naga.” I have asked her whether she knows of any decorated with gold foil as I can’t find a single mask on the Web with similar decoration. I may take it to the British Museum to see what they think and will let you know if I find anything definitive.”
Andrey
This, in my opinion, is not an African but a Nepalese mask. The way the ears and teeth are carved is common for Nepalese shaman/primitive masks.
Should you, however, insist this is African… well, then it’s probably something related to Kumu or Sukuma masks.
George Beccaloni
Andrey: I have just seen your comment and have had a look at ‘primitive’ Nepalese masks online. Yes, my mask does indeed look like it could be from that region – so thanks very much for your suggestion. I guess someone at Kew Botanic Gardens could determine the species of tree it is made from – which would narrow the possibilities down a lot.