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  • Caribbean

    Diablico Sucio carnival mask

    November 1, 2015 / No Comments

    Q: This is a very large mask, made from paper. It has horse teeth and screens where the eye holes are. I think it is Mexican, but do not know where in Mexico it was made. I would like to find out more information about this mask. I do not remember where I bought it. I usually haunt thrift shops and flea markets. Mickey, 852

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    Boruca monkey mask

    March 5, 2018

    Big mask from Puerto Rico

    February 21, 2015

    Brunca Devil mask

    June 5, 2014
  • Africa

    Central African mask with nasty smile

    November 1, 2015 / No Comments

    Q: This was my brother’s, who was a catholic priest and served at least two seasons at a mission school in Kenya around 1970. Kikuyu. He may have been given this mask, along with some other things, when he left there, or he may have bought it. He also traveled around I’m sure. Mask is 13.5 in tall, wood is lightweight and looks to be blackened, maybe with a stain. John, 851 A: Neither the Kikuyu people or other groups in Kenya use masks.

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    Northern Rhodesia Mask (now Zambia)

    June 28, 2021

    Bargain for classic African mask

    April 19, 2018

    Mumuye or Mambila animal mask

    November 7, 2016
  • Africa

    Punu mask from Gabon, West Africa

    October 26, 2015 / 1 Comment

    Q: I have bought this mask on a second-hand market. There was no further information about it, I would be delighted to know where the mask is coming from and whether it is authentic. The mask smells like fire but there are no burn marks to see. There are traces of use, for example, to see on the inside left is a dark spot, it looks like of the face often scoured against that spot. At the 2 holes you see that the rope has left traces there. Yber, 850 A: I apologize for taking so long to answer. We have been working on this website for several weeks.

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    Big, beautiful croc

    October 22, 2014

    Old We/Guere mask

    May 27, 2019

    Masks from Sierra Leone

    June 29, 2020
  • Africa

    A popular mask from Ivory Coast

    October 5, 2015 / No Comments

    Q: We inherited this from my grandfathers estate. It was a gift to him from one of his traveling friends. He died in 1975, so it is older than that. No other info, just curious about it. I grew up calling him “Alfred” and have fond memories of it. Katie, 846 A: If you look at this blog’s “Africa” category, you will see many masks similar to this one. It is a Kpelie mask from the Senufo people of Ivory Coast, West Africa. Its design and decorations can vary considerably.

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    African mask missing its jaw

    November 21, 2018

    Is masquerade still alive in Africa?

    October 1, 2018

    Mwana Ngulu mask from the Chokwe people

    April 9, 2018
  • Africa

    A famous women’s society mask

    October 3, 2015 / No Comments

    Q: I have two Masks which I inherited and that I would like a quote on for an appraisal. Hopefully you can help me with this. Here is the 1st mask. Thanks, Len, 845 A: I will be glad to appraise your two masks and will respond separately. In the meantime, I want our viewers to see this Sande Women’s Society helmet mask made by the Mende people of Sierra Leone, and used for various rights of passage in that culture.

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    13 Yaka masks in Brussels show

    February 8, 2018

    Beaded elephant mask

    April 24, 2018

    Punu Mukuyi mask from Gabon

    December 2, 2018
  • Mexico

    Devil or bird?

    September 28, 2015 / No Comments

    Q: This mask weighs only five ounces. It is around 10-11″ tall and 7″ across the forehead. I acquired it from a long time antique collector/hoarder in Central Alabama. Any assistance you could provide in identification would be most helpful. Kathy, 844 A: From somewhere in Mexico, this strange little guy is quite a character. Unfortunately, it has never been painted. Mexicans like to finish their masks with bright colors. However, they occasionally leave them unpainted for the tourist trade.

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    Mexican mask with interesting history

    August 5, 2018

    PreColumbian death mask of Pakal the Great

    August 20, 2020

    Clown mask from Veracruz

    September 11, 2017
  • Africa

    From somewhere in West Africa

    September 28, 2015 / 2 Comments

    Q: I was wondering what the origins of this particular mask are. A friend of mine acquired it through a house clearance shop but we cannot really tell you anything about where it came from. The hollowed out rear seems to have been burned out, as it is blackened by soot. It is also made of a quite strong smelling wood, possibly to do with age. This specimen is about a foot in total length, from chin to top of the hair. Thank you in advance. Perry, 843 A: This is a black helmet mask that combines many features of various West African cultures.

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    Ancient Egyptian wood mask

    May 17, 2018

    Value of tribal masks from high to low

    October 13, 2018

    Antiqued Maiden Spirit mask

    April 23, 2014
  • Oceania

    Rough, old Timorese mask

    September 25, 2015 / 1 Comment

    Q: I acquired this mask on eBay. The seller told me it had been collected from an abandoned hut in East Timor and was circa 1800. That sounded a little romantic to me but it certainly looks very old and has a great character. Does it look Timorese to you? Mark, 842 A: Submitting two Mystery Masks in a row is something I try to avoid, but I must make an exception here.

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    Ask the Mask Man or professional appraisal

    June 2, 2019

    Excellent mask from New Guinea

    May 24, 2015

    Matua mask from Oceania

    October 22, 2017
  • Mexico

    Diablo with lots of character

    September 24, 2015 / 3 Comments

    Q: Any idea what part of Mexico this Diablo comes from? I got if off eBay where I was told it had been collected in the 1960s or earlier and had been in a collection in Holland ever since. It’s made of hard wood with boar tusks for teeth. Mark, 841 A: Almost anyone will get a kick out of this oddly shaped Devil mask from Mexico. Certainly I do! But exactly where in Mexico was it made and what is it for. To the latter you could say a dance that characterizes Satan. But this delightful character could have been made strictly to sell to tourist and collectors.

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    Ritual Mask of Mayan King

    August 28, 2018

    Mask worn on waist

    November 28, 2020

    The Devil’s Craft: A Mexican Papier-mâché Masterpiece

    August 3, 2023
  • Mexico

    Typical, old Mexican mask

    September 22, 2015 / 3 Comments

    Q: Do you agree that this is a Mexican, rather than Guatemalan mask? Nate, 840 A: Of course, there are some masks from nearby Guatemala of similar design, but this design is so typical of many areas in Mexico. It portrays a light-skinned man with black eyebrows and mustache. The holes for seeing and attaching strings, plus the facial characteristics, are also typical.

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    What kind of mask is this?

    September 6, 2018

    Realistic looking decorative

    October 30, 2014

    Old, used Mexican mask

    March 30, 2017
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Quiz - Test Your Mask Knowledge

Click Here Take The Quiz

Mystery Mask Value Code

A - high value*

B - collectible*

C - decorative art

D - low value

* A and B do not always imply higher dollar value. Most masks get a C or D, however I usually don't post them.

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