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  • Misc

    Another mask for Muslim women

    June 29, 2018 / No Comments

    A comment on another style I have not seen before from one of our viewers: “Just recently I was in the Mask Museum in Belgium and they considered puppets a kind of masks. I was surprised but got convinced by their definition, so now I agree on considering the Burka a kind of mask too. There are other types of hijabs that more resemble masks, like the Battoula in some Arab states: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battoulah.”  Rey

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    Bob Ibold

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    Primitive Tribal Masks 101

    September 25, 2020

    Large mask or sculpture

    September 11, 2020

    Anubis, God of Embalming

    December 18, 2020
  • Africa,  Misc

    Ancient Egyptian wood mask

    May 17, 2018 / No Comments

    Probably older than 1000 BC, this beautifully carved face mask comes from the inner coffin of a large ancient Egyptian sarcophagus. It would have been painted over with a layer of gesso and linen. All of this is long gone because of poor conditions in the tomb where it was buried. Very nicely mounted and photographed. Sometimes great aging can be very appealing. What I don’t like to see is masks that have been artificially aged to fool the collecting market.  1365

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    Bob Ibold

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    African traditional art influenced the modernists

    December 15, 2013

    Pwoom Itok mask of the Kuba

    November 28, 2019

    Large headdress from Sierra Leone

    May 7, 2017
  • Misc

    Real masks vs. decorative carvings

    May 7, 2018 / No Comments

    Q: I received this mask from a friend who found it, essentially in the garbage, while doing demolition work after a large flood. It is approximately 30″ x 12″ at the widest part. I have a general interest in artifacts from different parts of the world, particularly West Africa and Latin America (Amazonia in particular). Mike, 1358 A:  Quite a few decorative carvings come to me for identification each month. Yours is one of the more attractive ones, so I decided to make an exception and post a non-mask. People with little knowledge of tribal art enjoy them, but our viewers are collectors who avoid tourist souvenirs in favor of…

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    Bob Ibold

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    Steampunk mask by Tom Banwell

    August 30, 2015

    Mexican decorative masks, collectible or not?

    December 6, 2018

    The masks of India

    May 5, 2019
  • Misc

    Prehistoric clay masks

    May 6, 2018 / No Comments

    The first is a Domen period mask from Nagano, Japan. The smaller photo shows a prehistoric clay mask dug up in Turkey. There is also a stone mask from the Middle East shown on page 203 of our book, Masks of the World, that is thought to be over 9000 years old. The tradition of masquerade goes far back in the history of mankind.

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    Bob Ibold

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    Mexican decorative masks, collectible or not?

    December 6, 2018

    Celebrity mask we all recognize

    February 23, 2016

    Japan uses the most masks

    October 12, 2018
  • Misc

    3 steampunk masks

    March 19, 2018 / No Comments

    I my book, Masks of the World, there is a chapter called Steampunk & Sex. (We’ll look at sex masks some other time.) When Steampunkers don there strange masks and accoutrements they enter their own retro-futuristic steam powered world. The masks are wonderful to look at, as you can see. A lot of work goes into them so they are not cheap. Have you ever seen one?

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    Bob Ibold

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    MASK by Chris Ranier

    October 9, 2019

    Prison art of beverage pull tabs

    February 18, 2018

    Egyptian burial mask

    December 20, 2017
  • Misc,  Unknown

    Ancient clay mask

    March 6, 2018 / 2 Comments

    Q:  The lady that I got this mask from for ten dollars last year said that she believed it originally came from China.  It measures six inches in diameter.  It is made of clay, and a friend who did ceramics told me that it was fired at a lower temperature than that of a modern kiln.  Thank you for looking.   Fred, 1308 A:  Perhaps it is an Asian piece, but I think it is more likely from Mexico or further South. That is not based on any expertise. It is just the fact that I see more “ancient” ceramics from the new world than the old. Sadly, most of…

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    Bob Ibold

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    Art mask

    April 6, 2016

    Prison art of beverage pull tabs

    February 18, 2018

    Masks by James Ensor

    December 3, 2016
  • Misc

    Handheld home-made mask

    February 28, 2018 / 2 Comments

    A few years ago the Mask Man had a party for a few friends. One of the guest came in holding this in front of his face. It sure looked like me. Everybody laughed so I put it on the wall of my office. You can do this easily. Hopefully the face you choose will be better looking. Just take a photo, make a print, glue it to corrugated board and cut it out with an Exacto knife.Try to make the handle a little stronger than the rest.

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    Bob Ibold

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    Cajun Marti Grass mask

    July 2, 2018

    Mexican decorative masks, collectible or not?

    December 6, 2018

    Should you buy this mask?

    November 2, 2018
  • Misc

    Prison art of beverage pull tabs

    February 18, 2018 / No Comments

    There were some great masks on eBay in the late 1990’s. That’s when I bought this. It was made by someone with plenty of time– perhaps a prisoner. A few years later I sold it to a now-deceased mask lover who had a show called Masks at the James Cohan Gallery in NYC in 2008. I can’t help wondering where it is now. The larger photo with model may have been taken recently. The smaller one was taken by me and is on page 105 of Masks of the World by Ibold and Yohn.  Bob, 1289  A

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    Bob Ibold

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    Fall forward tomorrow

    March 7, 2015

    Cajun Marti Grass mask

    July 2, 2018

    Decorative art– not masks

    March 27, 2019
  • Misc

    Scar’s mask from The Lion King

    February 18, 2018 / No Comments

    This hugely successful broadway show tells the story of Simba, a young lion who is to succeed his father, Mufasa, as King of the Pride Lands; however, after Simba’s uncle Scar (Mufasa’s jealous younger brother), murders Mufasa, Simba is manipulated into thinking he was responsible and flees into exile. Don’t worry, it has a happy ending. The costumes were designed by Julie Taymor and Michael Curry. Theater masks don’t get any better than this. I believe you can purchase nice reproductions on eBay.  Bob, 1288  A+

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    Bob Ibold

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    Wig maker’s head on stand

    July 18, 2020

    Rare animal mask from Panama

    December 23, 2019

    Ntanos Blast Mask

    January 30, 2018
  • Misc

    Ancient Greek theater mask

    February 15, 2018 / No Comments

    Greek theater began in the 6th century BCE in Athens with the performance of tragedy plays at religious festivals. These, in turn, inspired the genre of Greek comedy plays. The two types of Greek drama would be hugely popular and performances spread around the Mediterranean and influenced Hellenistic and Roman theater. Thus the works of such great playwrights as Sophocles and Aristophanes formed the foundation upon which all modern theater is based. The early tragedies had only one actor who would perform in costume and wear a mask, allowing him to impersonate gods. Later, the actor would often speak to the leader of the chorus, a group of up to…

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    Bob Ibold

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    Topeng Theater of Java: Where Wood Comes to Life

    May 5, 2025

    Mardi Gras goes back to 1699.

    March 28, 2017

    Authentic new Guatemalan masks

    April 14, 2020
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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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