Q: This mask was bought at auction in Ontario, Canada. I don’t know if it is a wolf or a wild boar. I first thought it may be an aboriginal mask from the West Coast of Canada but now I’m wondering if it is Indonesian. There is a small bit of a wax seal remaining which I saw on other Indonesian masks. Not sure if it has much value but I am downsizing and need to get rid of stuff. It definitely looks like it has been around for a long while. Any help would be appreciated. Brenda, 961
A: Actually, it is from Nepal, probably the Middle Hills area. Not sure what animal it represents, but I suspect it was carved and stained to sell to tourists as a shaman’s headgear. The red wax seal was used by Nepal’s customs service to collect tax money. C
