Q: Hello Mr Ibold. Important for me your opinion for my Kuba mask. Thank you very much. Spyridon, 948 A: Your Kuba mask is a Bushoong female character sometimes called ngady amwaash. If it was made in the West Kasai region of the DRC, it could be considered authentic. In my opinion the designs, colors, beads and cowries are all very pretty, but it has been put together rather quickly compared to the older ones we see in books and museums that are more carefully detailed. B+
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That old and used look
Q: This mask was given to me by an uncle who told me that it came from a collector of authentic masks and that is all I know about. It is made of some kind of wood and the hair is very course. The jaw of the mask is hinged for movement. The mask is 10 inches long by 8 inches wide. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Phil, 947 A: The character is Rangda from one of the classic dance dramas of Bali, Indonesia. It was made for sale to tourists or for export. That darkened varnish plus some dusting and roughing is what I refer to as “antiquing.”…
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Mask of the Himalayas
In the middle foothills and valleys of the southern slopes of the Himalayas live tribes, among which a very old form of Shamanism mixed with elements of Buddhism and Hinduism is still predominant today. These tribes, the Gurung, Magar, Tamang, etc., have an old mask tradition. Shamans and special dancers perform there with masks and costumes during ceremonies, theatrical performances and dances. These masks are usually crudely carved out of hardwood and age considerably while hanging in the rafters of the smokey huts in which many Nepalese live. The resulting patina is very appealing to collectors. This Middle Hills mask is on page 39 of Masks of the World by…
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Classic Sepic River mask
Q: I have recently inherited 2 south pacific masks from my parents which they collected when on a trip during the 1980’s. I was wondering if you can tell me more about them. I have photos but can’t attach to this email. Hope you can reply and I can send you this pictures. Think 1 is from Papua New Guinea / Vanuatu. Gerry, 945 A: Thanks for sending the pics. I will comment on the mask with more detail and precision. It is a beautiful example of PNG work. Please go to “Oceania” and scroll down to post #899. What I say there applies to this one as well. Also,…
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Another West African hybrid
Q: Found this mask in a old home clean-out in Oak Park, IL. Owner was a ww2 vet who was an Air Force Colonel when he retired years ago.15” long and 7” wide ear to ear. I d’ like to know approx. age and tribe if possible. Matt, 944 A: Some African specialist, many of which are members of the Yahoo African_Arts group, may be able to guess where this is from. Most of the design elements are probably borrowed from several different tribes in the same general area. Another factor that will complicate the search is that the carver is inexperienced. Unfortunately, from the small size of your photos,…
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Guatemalan bull mask
Q: Torito con cascabel is the Spanish name for this. This was one of my father’s favorite masks. Cascabel in Spanish means a little round bell with a pellet inside, like what we would call a jingle bell. He said the big tongue was special. (not sure why!) Joan, 943 A: This is one of the nicer Torito masks I have seen, even though one of the bells is missing. It appears to have been used a lot, repaired, and repainted. The colors are quite unusual and very eye-catching. Bull masks are always in the Toritos Dance, as well as the Patzcar Dance and a few others. We see a…
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Mexican mystery mask
I have been collecting Mexican masks since about 1975 and still there are some that I can’t identify. This one has a height of 9 inches and is covered with rows of ridges you can’t help but notice. Otherwise it has all the characteristics of Mexico. Since discovered in a flea market about 35 years ago, I have never seen one like it. What do you think?
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Baule Ram Mask
Q: I have very special pieces of Masks from Côte d’Ivoire to sell. My dad actually bought them in 1982. Let me know if you are interested. Ali, 941 A: The Baule people are an important ethnic group residing in Ivory Coast. This ram mask has been modernized slightly to make it more decorative and appealing to buyers. It is indeed an attractive wall decoration. However, I rarely buy anything sent to the Ask the Mask Man blog, nor do I furnish full names or addresses of the contributors.
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Chane Indians from NW Argentina
This mask was one of many Kathleen discovered in the storage unit she won at auction. It is an animal, perhaps a rabbit, that I would like to know more about. It is very appealing. Note the design, the teeny cheeks, and the marvelous little lips. I hope someone knows more about it and will share a comment with us.
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Beautiful Guru maiden
Q: Recently I found this mask that really intrigued me in Dubai at a small shop where Africans were selling authentic African masks. It is a wooden mask, about 39 cm in length (about 26 excluding the bird on top) and about 15.5 cm wide. I paid about $150 for the mask. They told me it originates from Gabon and was used to ward off evil spirits. I really hope you can tell me more about this mask, it’s origin (maybe tribe) and use. Especially the bird really interests me. Jacqueline, 939 A: Masks for tourist and export are being made in Gabon and many other places. This piece follows…
