Q: PARIS (AP) – The Native American Hopi tribe took a Paris auction house to court Tuesday to try to block the upcoming sale of 32 sacred tribal masks, arguing they are “bitterly opposed” to the use as merchandise of sacred objects that represent their ancestral spirits. The Katsinam masks are scheduled for sale at the Drouot auction house on Dec. 9 and 11, alongside an altar from the Zuni tribe. A. In the spring of this year a larger collection of Hopi Indian masks was auctioned off in Paris for over a million dollars.
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A not so typical Dan mask
Q: Bought in Liberia in 1982 when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer. Was among several that I bought from one of three Mandingos who came to my house in the Gola tribe area (just north of Monrovia and the Vai tribe territory) to show their masks to a few of us PCVs. The sale of this one mask was suspicious, because the seller did not want his colleagues to know that he had it. Could have been a ruse, but he looked genuinely fearful of his colleagues. I don’t think that he was supposed to be selling it. Dimensions: 11.5″ x 7.5″ X 3.75″ Now that I’m in my…
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Marka mask from Mali
Q: I have a collection of African old tribal masks which I took over from an old collector who for health reasons is unable to give much info. Here is one of many, I was thinking African, Mali possibly. Natasha, 588 A: Sorry to take so long to answer.
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One of the great masks of the world
Q: (Part of an email that included several recently purchased masks.) The Baining mask is gigantic, about 5 feet tall from chin to top and maybe 3.5 feet long. I have nowhere to put it, so it’s piled on my other masks. I need a museum at this point. Aaron, 587 A: Congratulations on your recent acquisitions.
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This will be a tough one
Q: American Indian or Eskimo? The wood is old and light like cedar. Please help! David, 586 A: I took a look at as many North American indigenous mask as I could.
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Fine mask and a poem
Q: I wonder if its authentic and if it is a Dan Ngere? Leon, 585 (Leon also sent along a poem about masks which you can read at the end of my comments.) A: The Dan group of tribes spread over parts of both Ivory Coast and Liberia.
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Old big round mask
Q: I’m totally ignorant about masks, but my father found this in a garage here in Italy and now I would like some informations about it. I looked into your website for similar masks, but I haven’t found anything identical. Can you please tell me from which part of the world it comes? The dimensions are 60×50 (cm) and it’s made of wood. Alexandru, 584 A: Being the Mask Man is a humbling experience.
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This guy has quite a nose
My characterization of the Peruvian mask as a Wapuri is just a guess. “Wapuri” is a character in the Bolivian Kullawada dance, which refers to a long-nosed European character. I am assuming that the Peruvian version is just a little different, but is used for similar purposes in similar dances. I could be wrong. Aaron, 583 A: I think you are correct.
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Where in Africa?
Q: I bought this mask from a guy on the internet from Serbia. That country was famous 30 years ago for its good relationship with Africa, so I guess that the mask is African. Zarko, 582 A: I agree that it is African, and it is nice looking.
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Hard to identify West African
Q: It was part of collection of items left over from a Free Trade Import store that closed. The seller back in the mid 90’s told me that it an authentic ceremonial mask; whereas, other’s in the collection were passport mask made for tourist and not of much value. The mask has holes along the sides and I was told these held grasses at one time which would cover the lower part of the face as the mask rest upon the forehead. From the top of the crown to the bottom of chin measures 11 1/2″ and from ear to ear 6 3/4″. It is made of a very light…
