Q: Je suis en possession de ce masque mais je n’ai aucune idée de sa provenance et s’il a une quelconque valeur ou simplement décoratif. Vous est-il possible de m’éclairer sur le sujet ? Il mesure 24cm/9,5 inches. Jean Luc, 1094 A: My wife translated this. Jean Luc wants to know what the mask is. Of course… and so do I. Dear fellow collectors, please give me your thoughts. The photographs are good. It doesn’t look like airport art. If the patina is fake, it would have taken a lot of time and effort. B+ Save Save
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Kpelie mask, Senufo people, Ivory Coast
Q: This mask is one of a pair. The other is of a similar size and design but the details are slightly different. Both are approx. 16″ high. I’m pretty sure I bought them 15-20 years ago at a thrift store in Miami for approx. $50 for the pair. I doubt they’re valuable, but I plan to mount them on stands and would like to identify their area of origin. Appreciate your opinion! Tim, 1093 A: I have posted a Kpelie mask about a year ago. It is #982 in the “Africa” category of the blog archives. Yours is an average reproduction of a classic West African traditional mask that…
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Unidentified Eskimo mask
Here is a mask I would like to know more about. In my book, Masks of the World, it is on page 94. The description reads: Unusual mask– Alaska or Canada, 6.7 inches, carved red cedar We saw a crude Tsimshian mask that was cylindrical in shape like this one, and had a long nose attached to the face, but was otherwise different. It also has an Inupiat or Yup’ik feeling. There are no string holes and the nose is nailed in place. The paint is aluminum so it is probably 20th century. And don’t be afraid to tell me if you think it is something completely different. I am…
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A wild and crazy mask
Q: I was hoping you could tell me about this mask. I was told that it was a Guatemalan dance mask. I find that hard to believe as I’ve never seen a Guatemalan mask that looks anything like this. My first impression was that it looked like a Northwest Indian mask. I would appreciate any info you might have on this…Thanks very much. Ray, 1091 A: It’s got a modern West African vibe, but it could come from other places. Because it appears to be carved very thin and has a grab bar on the rear, somewhere in the Southwest Pacific is a possibility. Please, you people out there,…
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Airport art at its best
Q: Please could you assist me. I recently bought a number of Guro masks on an auction in South Africa. They were part of a deceased estate. The collection comprised Gu masks, Zamble masks and anthropomorphic masks. The variety and fine carving of these masks suggests that they represent a collection of authentic objects. Sharon, 1089 A: There is a style of Guro carving that started in West Africa sometime in the 20th century that became very popular with collectors. I’ve done two other blogs on them– #765 and #977– and I know a guy who collects only these and a shop in Philadelphia that specialized in them. However, they…
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Odd-ball African mask
Q: A friend of mine acquired this mask during his trip to Stone Town, Zanzibar at a small gift shop. Mask’s height is 23 cm, width 13 cm. The wood is unknown to me, all I can say – it’s very light, but at the same time quite solid. Paint looks like some natural pigments mixed with an adhesive, something similar to tempera maybe. We believe this mask to be a typical souvenir mask, of course, however, I’m not sure if the design is based on something traditional or not. Something close to Dan beaked masks or Luba, perhaps. Hope you can clarify this. Andrey, 1088 A: Sometimes African masks…
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Javanese traditional dance mask
Q: I bought this mask at an auction as part of a box of mixed china. It is made from wood. Hand carved and painted. It seems to be for a child (or just to hang up) as it is only 16.5cm (6 1/2 inches) high by 14cm (5 1/2 inches) wide. I would love to know what it is. Penny, 1087 A: Your mask is from East Java, the main island of Indonesia. On the back you can see it bears the name Djemang Keraros (sp?), a character in one of the dance dramas that are based on the Ramayana or Mahabarata epics. He could be a demon, deity,…
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PreColumbian clay mask, maybe
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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Diablada mask from Ecuador
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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Anne Frank portrait mask
Q: I have this thank you note I keep forgetting to send to you for the wonderful inclusion of my work in your awesome book. Not only that but this book is a major source for me as reference and inspiration. Anyways I also thought I would keep you up to date with new work I’ve made. This one is a gold leafed Mache of Anne Frank. Patrick, 1084 A: Patrick Risse does many other types of contemporary art masks in addition to famous portraits. They are always one of a kind and very well made, but you don’t see them often on this website. I call them art masks.…
