Back on May 5th of this year Chris commented on my post which was of a Mexican decorative that happened to be my first mask ever. He was able to buy his first mask  cheap because the seller admitted it looked old, but had never been used. That kind of honesty is rare. I just found a great looking Sala Mpasu (the more accurate spelling) on the internet that may look like Chris’s.  Bob, 1171 Salampasu masks are easily identified by their bulging foreheads and balls wound of reeds which make up the headpiece and can dangle from the chin. They also have a strong nose and a pointed chin.…

The Chewa are a Bantu people of central and southern Africa and the largest ethnic group in Malawi. Internationally, the Chewa are mainly known for their masks and their secret societies, called Nyau. Historically, all Chewa men belonged to the secret Nyau society. The society’s masks represent the spirits of the deceased, but they can also be bush spirits or personalities from the wider community including Swahili slave traders, British officials, the Virgin Mary and others with antisocial traits and undesirable values. Unlike most West African masks, these Nyau faces often remind you of someone. This one is particularly special in its color combinations. By searching the Africa category on…

Recently I had email exchange with Andrew Berz which resulted in him sending us these excellent photos and the following description. Composition: wood, pigment, heavy layered remains of libations/encrustation, feathers, adhesive/tree tar, original fetish charge on the rear Age: late 19th-early 20th century Dimensions: 9″ x 4″ Provenance: Ex. Berz Gallery of African Art, Ex. Michael Rhodes, NY, Ex. Patrick Nuti, US The Toma are prolific carvers, famous for their large Landai masks. Smaller masks of this style are extremely rare. The Toma have lived in the rain forest and their social and political regulations are grounded in the initiation and life activities of the Poro association. This mask is…

Q:  I was hoping you can identify the possible age and origin of 1 of 2 masks purchased from a local sale here in New Jersey?  Both were purchased for less than $10 and the size of the painted wooden one I’m inquiring about here is roughly 10 x 7-1/2 x 5 inches. Can you please help?  Jo, 1163 A:  Fortunately I was able to discover a similar mask from the Pere of the DRC. They are a semi-nomadic tribe in northeastern area somewhere between the Komo and the Ndaaka that came from Uganda in the 1800’s. It was suggested the mask was used to celebrate the ancestor cult, Ndekele,…

Q:  I bought this mask last year for $75 on eBay.  There is a receipt showing that the mask was sold in 1970 for $275 at a fundraiser for an art museum.  I haven’t been able to identify it, but the colonial figure on top is interesting. Thanks for all your help so far.  I am a “senior citizen” who began collecting after I bought a mask at our local flea market one year ago, and I hope that I have a few treasures among the trash.  Fred, 1162 A:  This Gelede wooden headdress is a treasure carved from a single piece of light wood. The human face appears to…