Q:  I’ve bought this mask at an estate sale in Philly two years ago, as I initially thought it might be a mask of the Iroquois ‘False Face Society’ or from the American North-West Coast. But once I’ve seen a quite similar example on the web I’m inclined to believe it is a mask made for the trade at around the mid 20th century or slightly before. Greetings from Austria,  Herb, 635 A:  These exciting characters come from somewhere in Indonesia.

Q: The pictures I sent were my dad’s mask today it fell off the wall and landed face up on the floor it was about 5 to 6 feet from the wall when I turned it over my dad labeled it with the name Tambanan Devil Mask it was hanging on a wall 7-8 feet high!!!! It was eerie and I’ve had things happening since New Year’s Day 2014 and I’m trying to figure this out!!!!  Susan, 609 A: Your dad bought a tourist mask made somewhere in Papua New Guinea.

Q: I would like to find out where this mask is actually from and what it represents. I bought it 14 years ago in a decoration boutique in Belgium, where I live, for 100 dollars. The guy told me it was Indonesian, but I’ve always had a doubt. It is made of wood, it is quite heavy. It is rather a wall decoration, as it is not carved at the back. Many thanks for any details you may give me.  Valerie, 580 A: This is a handsome portrayal of Garuda, an important bird-like god that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology throughout Asia.

Q: The seller bought this mask 20 years ago in Bali. But he doesn’t think it comes from there. Someone told him it was from Sulawesi and that it could have been made to celebrate dead people. It’s wood and 8″ x 5″  large with hair, cloth and a wood stopper attached to a cord. Do you have any idea of its true origin and age?  Philip, 535 A: Just north of Bali are the much larger islands of Sulawesi and Borneo. Either is a possibility. This appears to be an ethnographic artifact worth learning more about.

Q: Can you tell me more about this mask from PNG? Julie, 522 A:  It is a classic mask from the Sepik River area of Papua New Guinea.