Q:  The masks were found at an antiques mall in Alabama by a friend who was visiting the area and who knew I collect such things.  He sent the photos and I told him to get both of them.  Cost was $35 apiece; the vendors knew nothing about them.  I’ll shoot them tomorrow with my camera and send proper shots…those that I sent were from his phone.  I am not a collector per se, but I lived and worked in Guatemala and Mexico years ago and acquired masks as part of my broader interest in folk art.  I have worked in the Amazon Basin for the past 26 years and…

Q:  My parents bought this mask in Bali in 1968 or so, they told me it was Hanuman, but I don’t think so.  Can you recognize the character?  Initially he had long black hair.  You can see it had real animal hide and we used to hang it by the string on its forehead.  Heather, 1405 A:  Cululuk is one of several witches in Calonarang, a very popular dance drama still performed on the island nation of Bali, Indonesia. Your piece is slightly above average in craftsmanship. It is in new condition– so it could be used by a dance company from a small town or sold to tourists. It…

Q:  I’ve got a beautiful mask which I believe is the evil one. It came into my hands about 8 years ago from my uncle who traveled the world and collected masks. He told me to look after it as it could be worth something in a few years. I took the mask to a very good friend of mine who is actually from Bali Indonesia and she said the same. I believe it’s some sort of carved wood with horse hair. It’s such a shame to have it stored away so I was looking at selling it. The mask has a slight damage which is a bit of one…

Q:  Purchased 02/19/2018 for $10.99.  Raquel, 1293 A:  Everything I just said to Brian applies to Raquel’s mask as well. On both we can see a slightly reduced quality typical of tourist masks. Those made for professional dancers are much finer… and more expensive. Most of these, both tourist and professional, come from either Mas or Singapadu, Bali, and are produced by hereditary carvers with excellent training. Please let us know who this guy is!  C+

Q:  I recently purchased this mask on eBay but it is not like any other Balinese mask I’ve found. I’m wondering if it really is from Bali and what character it represents if it is. Here is the listing url as well: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hand-Carved-Balinese-Wooden-Mask/112799483992?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649   Brian, 1292 A:  This is one I haven’t seen before. There are so many different characters in the traditional dance dramas. Sometimes the uncommon ones also show up in the tourist shops, such as yours did. Maybe someone will help us with its name, but probably you will have to do some searching on Google. 

Q:  Would like to know origin of this mask. Very light weight and paint looks original. Bought, as usual, at a thrift shop. Thinking Java?  Mickey, 1285 A:  It is from Java, but not old. It is easy to see that this decorative wall-hanging was quickly carved, painted with some nice colors, and then antiqued to make it look old. Antiquing is easy to do with stained varnish and a rag. On this piece it is obvious, but some mask makers are very skilled and can fool you. Mickey bought it at a thrift store for very little money, but some tourists pay a lot more thinking the mask is…

Q:  I purchased a mask at an antique dealer estate sale for $5 because I thought it was interesting. I think it may be Javanese. It’s made of thin wood and measures just under 7″ x 6″ wide. Would you know approximate age, origin & value?  Kevin,  1223 A:  As I say on the website, we do appraisals for a fee. I can tell your colorful lady is a character in one of the classic dance dramas of Java, and certainly worth more than you paid. The carving quality is good but the painting is below average. None the less, it will look good on the wall. I can’t tell…

Q:  Missed the boat on buying this one about a year ago. The craftsmanship utilizes high detail in many areas, and its clearly been danced.  Nate, 1193 A:  This character, known as Petruk, is easy to recognize by his long nose. Sorry you didn’t get it. The carving is fabulous. As you know, masks of Java and Bali and other parts of Indonesia are inspired by Indian influences which were originally used to propagate religious principles and dramas from the Hindu epics such as the Ramayana or Mahabarata. These masks depict archetypal characters like demons, deities, heroes, gods and villains. Masks of the World has a separate chapter for Bali & Java.      …

Q:  I have 6 authentic Javanese dancing masks from the early 1900’s. We got them from a parent who was an original member of the Denishawn school of dancing in Los Angeles in 1915.  The masks were part of a world tour.  It’s possible there are pictures of the dancers with the masks.  I did some research on Denishawn dance and if you are a dancer then you know what its all about.  Tracie, 1158 A:  It’s nice to see a group of characters from a Javanese traditional dance drama, though I will use just one for this blog. It would be Sita, the beautiful queen of the great king…

Q:  This is one of three masks my parents bought on a trip to Indonesia in the 1960s.  I’m pretty sure they bought them on Bali.  They were there with the Washington State Wheat Commission.  I don’t know how much they paid but I’m sure not much. I have looked at images online and have not seen much that looks like my masks so I was hoping you might know something about them.  I have read some of your other posts so I understand they might not have value.  I just like them and would like to have some background if you have any to offer.  Noreen, 1115 A:  I…