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  • South America

    Another Payaso from the mountains of Ecuador

    January 26, 2017 / No Comments

    Q:  I wanted to see if you had any info on this mask.  Joe, 1096 A:  This is all that Joe told me, but his three photos were helpful and I recognized the mask immediately. It is a Payaso (clown) from the Indians of Ecuador. There is a different one shown on our blog archive (category “South America”) that was posted Nov 15, 2016.  Please look it up so you can compare the two, and learn more about how them. This one is crudely made and appears to have been used.  The one in the archives is new and more carefully carved and painted.  A- Save

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    Bob Ibold

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    Strange mask of natural materials

    September 22, 2015

    World traveling mask

    August 31, 2014

    Amazon animal mask

    July 16, 2019
  • South America

    PreColumbian clay mask, maybe

    January 9, 2017 / No Comments

    Q:  I was recently in Argentina over the holidays and I purchased this mask at a flea market in Buenos Aires. It is about 7 x 6 in and seems to be made from clay. I bought it for about $70. The guy I bought it from said that his “friend” found it in Peru and brought it back. His friend found it in pieces and tried to repair it with the white parts. I have no idea if I got a unique mask or not and I’m hoping that you are able to help me identify it.   Alex, 1086 A:  It does not look Peruvian to me. I…

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    Bob Ibold

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    Diablada mask from Ecuador

    January 8, 2017

    Part 1: Bolivia’s Hidden Treasure – The Mask Museum Experience

    November 6, 2024

    This guy has quite a nose

    November 16, 2013
  • South America

    Diablada mask from Ecuador

    January 8, 2017 / 2 Comments

    AP PHOTO: Masked devils dance in Ecuadorean mountain town A devil dancer takes part in “La Diablada” festival in Pillaro, Ecuador, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. Thousands of singing and dancing devils take over a mountain town in Ecuador for six days of revelry in the streets. Herb sent this photo to us today.  I think it’s wonderful that we can see a mask being worn in South America just a day ago. More evidence that masquerade is alive and well around the world.  1085 Save

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    Bob Ibold

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    Wapuri mask from Bolivia

    June 9, 2020

    Bolivian Devil Mask with Lizard

    March 7, 2017

    Pre-Columbian masks & statues

    November 26, 2019
  • South America

    Ecuador pig mask

    December 3, 2016 / No Comments

    Q:  This is another one of the exciting masks Kathleen discovered in the storage unit contents she won at auction early this year.  As you can see, her three photos of the pig are quite good. Otherwise, the only thing she could tell me was that the pig’s ears were real.  1059 A:  Look at the front, side and rear views of the mask. You can see that it has been used a lot and repainted. Good photography can be so helpful. The Quechua-speaking Indians in the Andes Mountains running through Ecuador have been practicing masquerade for centuries. Their masks are carved out of heavy hardwood and the eye holes…

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    Bob Ibold

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    Pre-Columbian masks & statues

    November 26, 2019

    Diablada mask from Ecuador

    January 8, 2017

    Tukuma initiation mask from the Amazon

    May 30, 2017
  • South America

    Black Moreno from La Paz

    August 12, 2016 / No Comments

    My partner, Troy, will be in Bolivia looking for masks in a few weeks. So I thought you might enjoy seeing a very nice example from Aaron’s collection. The character is called “Moreno” and he is paraded in the Senor del Gran Poder festival of the capitol, La Paz. Other cities in Bolivia have somewhat different celebrations, but they all use masks of incredibly fine workmanship, many of which are made of sheet metal like this one. Masquerade in Bolivia is as spectacular as those of the Lenten festivals in Bavaria, the dance dramas of Bali, Japanese Noh theater, and our own Northwest Coast Indians. Let’s all wish Troy well…

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    Bob Ibold

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    Precolonial funeral mask

    January 15, 2018

    Jaguar mask from the Chiriguanos

    August 18, 2017

    Indian cloth mask from Ecuador

    March 13, 2018
  • South America

    Euro-Mexican mask

    August 4, 2016 / 5 Comments

    Q:  I purchased this mask about 10 years ago from an online auction where it was described as a Mexican “Ranchero” mask. Unfortunately, I don’t remember much more detail from the listing. I was hoping you, or someone who visits your site, might recognize this style of mask, and perhaps identify the region it came from. It’s certainly the work of a highly skilled craftsman. The wood is thick, but very light, and there are four heavy duty staples around the perimeter for straps. The inside is smooth and nicely contoured for comfort. I don’t think it was ever used, but it was definitely made to be worn.  Dan, 1003…

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    Bob Ibold

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    Ticuna Indian mask with full costume

    December 29, 2015

    Indian mask from South America

    March 31, 2017

    Black man sticking his tongue out

    February 25, 2016
  • South America

    Old Bolivian funeral mask

    August 2, 2016 / 1 Comment

    Q:  I acquired this silver mask in Bolivia about 30 years ago at a price of ca $100. At the time I was told that it is a funeral mask worn by the living who attended a funeral. Size of the mask is 5,5 by 4,5 inches. Any information that you are able to provide will be greatly appreciated.  Gideon, 1001 A:  At that small size and without eye holes, this is not something to wear. It would appeal to tourists and some collectors. There is a similar, but larger, mask on page 158 of my new book, Masks of the World. It says “this Pre-Columbian mask is 8″ high…

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    Bob Ibold

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    Chane Indians from NW Argentina

    March 18, 2016

    Amazon animal mask

    July 16, 2019

    Piaroa animal mask from the Orinoco R.

    June 22, 2017
  • South America

    Jaguar or leopard mask?

    May 12, 2016 / 1 Comment

    Q:  Hey Bob, Troy tells me if you guys 1) can tell, 2) are interested: If this might be Congo or something I’d like to save it… if it is a Mexican, South or Central American Tigre mask I want to find value and sell. My opinion is that it’s not a concoction or ploy and has age, but I don’t really know. So how about a mask for Orange Umber here?  Arthur, 971 A:  The best I can guess, this is a Jaguar mask meant to be worn in some kind of ceremony by an Amazon Indian tribe. It seems to be made of bark cloth and natural black…

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    Bob Ibold

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    Another Payaso from the mountains of Ecuador

    January 26, 2017

    3 more Tukuma masks from Amazon

    November 7, 2019

    Precolonial funeral mask

    January 15, 2018
  • South America

    Payaso mask from the mountains of Ecuador

    May 11, 2016 / 2 Comments

    Q:  I have recently been to Ecuador and I acquired this mask. It is a Payaso mask from a carver friend in a village of Cotopaxi province. It is a copy of a very old mask in another village at the feet of one of the volcanoes there. The villagers asked the carver to make a copy, so he did – he made actually two of them, one also for me, luckily. Honestly, it is one of the best recently made and to-be-worn masks I have ever come across; hard pine wood. And it is the only Payaso with a beard and a heart on the forehead – most other…

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    Bob Ibold

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    World traveling mask

    August 31, 2014

    Piaroa-Huarime character mask

    March 11, 2021

    PreColumbian clay mask, maybe

    January 9, 2017
  • South America

    Chane Indians from NW Argentina

    March 18, 2016 / 2 Comments

    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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    Bob Ibold

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    Piaroa-Huarime character mask

    March 11, 2021

    Amazon Indian spirit mask

    February 21, 2016

    Wari burial mask from Peru

    March 17, 2018
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