Q: Actually I have 100 Mexican masks. A few also from Africa and Sri Lanka, but my main concern is the Mexican Collection. They are all authentic dance masks I purchased from a collector in Mexico, so I know they are real, historic, danced in masks. I can send a bit of info for each such as origin, character and dance plus a photo. What would the cost be to give me an appraisal for each? Michelle, 1447 A: Michelle is asking for an appraisal estimate on high quality masks. I picked out this Parachico to share with my viewers what quality can mean. This one is new, but age…
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Did she get a good deal?
Q: I bought this very cool mask in Ubud, Bali at an Antique shop. I believe it is depicting the deity Barong, a protective spirit. I’m not really sure how to tell how old it is or of it’s authenticity, but it sure is neat even if it’s just a low grade decorative piece! It’s about 9″ x 8″ with a depth of about 3.5-4″. It’s covered in some dirt and I’m not 100% sure how to best clean it without damage. Do you have any suggestions? It’s painted/stained with some red and gold tones and is definitely made of wood, but I’m not sure which kind. We didn’t pay…
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Kolam mask from Sri Lanka
Q: My wife and I own this mask that we believe comes from the Indian Ocean part of the world. It is made from a light weight wood, has some damage, but looks good on our shelf. Frederick, 1445 A: You are right about location. This is a reproduction of a Kolam mask from Sri Lanka, the largest island in the Indian Ocean.The Kolam drama has existed from 15th century, but some Sri Lanka legends said that this genre of drama has a history spanning more than 2500 years. Regarding the definition of the term Kolam, most reseachers have argued that the word has its origins in South India. The…
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Japanese fox mask with moving jaw
Q: I would appreciate you posting this old Japanese mask of mine. Your viewers can see more on the eBay site by searching for “maskmonger.” Nate, 1444 A: Kitsune is the Japanese name for this fox mask. There’s patina attesting to multiple times that this mask was culturally danced. Note the articulating jaw that would move during the performance. Signed by “MOTONAGA” or “GENCHOU”. This mask was made and used at sacred Shinto performances during the Kagura shrine festivals. Given Japans rapidly shrinking population, which is making small towns and their shrines close, it seems all the more likely that this is an actual Shrine mask. The dancer wearing this…
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Where is this mask from?
Q: I am doing some research for a community group on museum objects that are locked away in stores with no information about them. We have located this mask but can not find any information on it. Tara, 1443 A: This is a mystery mask. It is labeled “East Africa,” but I doubt if that is where it is from. Though it has a primitive look, this wood carving has been quickly made with steel carving tools and a branding tool. It’s probably made for sale to tourist. The question is “where does it come from?” If you have any ideas, please make a comment. Let’s help Tara. …
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Indonesian dance mask for the poor
Q: I got these at a online auction and that is all I know about them except the Egyptian looking one is a little smaller than the other two. Charles, 1442A: I believe this is a dance mask from the Diem Mountain region of Java. But I’m not sure. It could be from other rural regions of Java, Bali or Lombok. Carved by a poor man in a small village, it appears to be old and used. Masks from the urban areas are always of better craftsmanship. For the classic wayang topeng dance drama, this mask is pretty crude. This is made worse by the angle of the first photograph.…
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Why such a distorted Japanese mask?
The use of masks in Japan started from 10,000 BCE. They are used in plays and rituals, and for Noh theater. Today there are a wide range of characters, ranging from very realistic to extreme exaggerations. This one is called Hyottoko. He can be used for comic interludes in Noh plays. The inexpensive papier mache version shown here can also be used by street performers and the general public. In the USA it can show up for Halloween. Hyottoko, is probably the strangest-looking character of Japanese masquerade. Of course, he is very funny looking and very strange. But I think he would be disturbing enough to strike fear in somebody…
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Complex African traditional art
The character represented in this mask, Banda (also called Kumbaruba by some Baga groups), is a complex composite of human and animal forms. The long horizontal headdress is composed of the face of a human being and the jaw of a crocodile, whose angular teeth are visible along the side of the mask. The human face is characterized by Baga scarification marks as well as a woman’s elaborately braided coiffure. The top of the headdress features the horns of an antelope, the body of a serpent, and the tail of a chameleon. Banda headdresses are quite large; this example measures just over four feet in length. Yet despite their unwieldy…
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Collectible protective mask
After the last post I want to talk more about protective masks. They are an interesting category of mask collecting. Unlike most collectable masks, they have nothing to do with ceremony or having fun. They are meant to keep the wearer from injury. But they also may have a secondary purpose of intimidating opponents. Here are some examples. You can see more protective masks by going to that category. None of them fail to impress the viewer Gas masks are often used by the military to protect soldiers from poisonous gas that the enemy might use against them. This one, like many others, would also be a little scary for…
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Masks we don’t see often
Q: I’m trying to find out who made a particular mask. It was a cubist mask featured in Eyes Wide Shut, and I recently found a nearly identical mask linked from your site on Pinterest (though the link on your site is now dead). The image of the mask from Eyes Wide Shut is attached below. David, 1438 A: This mask can be found on page 107 of Masks of the World by Ibold and Yohn. It was purchased from a costume shop in France or Italy about 20 years ago. It is 10 inches high and made of very strong papier mache so it can be worn many times.…
