Q: I was hoping you could tell me about this mask. I was told that it was a Guatemalan dance mask. I find that hard to believe as I’ve never seen a Guatemalan mask that looks anything like this. My first impression was that it looked like a Northwest Indian mask. I would appreciate any info you might have on this…Thanks very much. Ray, 1091 A: It’s got a modern West African vibe, but it could come from other places. Because it appears to be carved very thin and has a grab bar on the rear, somewhere in the Southwest Pacific is a possibility. Please, you people out there,…
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Airport art at its best
Q: Please could you assist me. I recently bought a number of Guro masks on an auction in South Africa. They were part of a deceased estate. The collection comprised Gu masks, Zamble masks and anthropomorphic masks. The variety and fine carving of these masks suggests that they represent a collection of authentic objects. Sharon, 1089 A: There is a style of Guro carving that started in West Africa sometime in the 20th century that became very popular with collectors. I’ve done two other blogs on them– #765 and #977– and I know a guy who collects only these and a shop in Philadelphia that specialized in them. However, they…
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Odd-ball African mask
Q: A friend of mine acquired this mask during his trip to Stone Town, Zanzibar at a small gift shop. Mask’s height is 23 cm, width 13 cm. The wood is unknown to me, all I can say – it’s very light, but at the same time quite solid. Paint looks like some natural pigments mixed with an adhesive, something similar to tempera maybe. We believe this mask to be a typical souvenir mask, of course, however, I’m not sure if the design is based on something traditional or not. Something close to Dan beaked masks or Luba, perhaps. Hope you can clarify this. Andrey, 1088 A: Sometimes African masks…
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Javanese traditional dance mask
Q: I bought this mask at an auction as part of a box of mixed china. It is made from wood. Hand carved and painted. It seems to be for a child (or just to hang up) as it is only 16.5cm (6 1/2 inches) high by 14cm (5 1/2 inches) wide. I would love to know what it is. Penny, 1087 A: Your mask is from East Java, the main island of Indonesia. On the back you can see it bears the name Djemang Keraros (sp?), a character in one of the dance dramas that are based on the Ramayana or Mahabarata epics. He could be a demon, deity,…
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PreColumbian clay mask, maybe
Q: I was recently in Argentina over the holidays and I purchased this mask at a flea market in Buenos Aires. It is about 7 x 6 in and seems to be made from clay. I bought it for about $70. The guy I bought it from said that his “friend” found it in Peru and brought it back. His friend found it in pieces and tried to repair it with the white parts. I have no idea if I got a unique mask or not and I’m hoping that you are able to help me identify it. Alex, 1086 A: It does not look Peruvian to me. I…
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Diablada mask from Ecuador
AP PHOTO: Masked devils dance in Ecuadorean mountain town A devil dancer takes part in “La Diablada” festival in Pillaro, Ecuador, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. Thousands of singing and dancing devils take over a mountain town in Ecuador for six days of revelry in the streets. Herb sent this photo to us today. I think it’s wonderful that we can see a mask being worn in South America just a day ago. More evidence that masquerade is alive and well around the world. 1085 Save
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Anne Frank portrait mask
Q: I have this thank you note I keep forgetting to send to you for the wonderful inclusion of my work in your awesome book. Not only that but this book is a major source for me as reference and inspiration. Anyways I also thought I would keep you up to date with new work I’ve made. This one is a gold leafed Mache of Anne Frank. Patrick, 1084 A: Patrick Risse does many other types of contemporary art masks in addition to famous portraits. They are always one of a kind and very well made, but you don’t see them often on this website. I call them art masks.…
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Subali the monkey king
Let’s look at a professional dance mask from Bali. It would be danced in the Wayang Wong, one of the famous Hindu dance dramas that are still performed on the island. As you can see, it is very skilfully carved, painted and decorated. Masks of this quality are used by the well-known dance companies, and occasionally purchased by serious collectors and museums. This one comes from the Setiadarma House of Mask and Puppet in Bali. Fortunately this tradition is still alive and well in Bali. 1083 Save
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Popular Mexican armadillo mask
Q: I found this mask in a large box of unrelated items in warehouse and would like to find out whatever I can about its origin. Kathleen, 1082 A: These kinds of masks have been used by the Huave people of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, for many years. They are carved out of local wood and decorated with armadillo shell and hair. They’re so appealing to tourists that thousands of extras are made every year for sale. This is an extra and is not as carefully made as the ones used for the dance. Still, it is a nice addition to anyone’s Mexican mask collection. B-
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Iroquois False Face Society mask
Q: I recently purchased this false face mask off of eBay. My guess is that it is likely one that is just a collectible piece of art due to the numbering. I was unable to find out what this numbering meant anywhere. My guess is that its some kind of number the artist put on them. I’ve seen multiple masks of this type with the numbers on the sides. I was told it came from a collection of Native American artifacts called “The Seagram Collection.” To me it looks a bit different than most of the false face masks I have seen! I have just begun to collect masks and…
