Q: I have very special pieces of Masks from Côte d’Ivoire to sell. My dad actually bought them in 1982. Let me know if you are interested. Ali, 941 A: The Baule people are an important ethnic group residing in Ivory Coast. This ram mask has been modernized slightly to make it more decorative and appealing to buyers. It is indeed an attractive wall decoration. However, I rarely buy anything sent to the Ask the Mask Man blog, nor do I furnish full names or addresses of the contributors.
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Chane Indians from NW Argentina
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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Beautiful Guru maiden
Q: Recently I found this mask that really intrigued me in Dubai at a small shop where Africans were selling authentic African masks. It is a wooden mask, about 39 cm in length (about 26 excluding the bird on top) and about 15.5 cm wide. I paid about $150 for the mask. They told me it originates from Gabon and was used to ward off evil spirits. I really hope you can tell me more about this mask, it’s origin (maybe tribe) and use. Especially the bird really interests me. Jacqueline, 939 A: Masks for tourist and export are being made in Gabon and many other places. This piece follows…
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Lovely piece of PNG art
Q: Purchased in antique store for $35.00. All wood. Measures 30″H x 10″W. Has shells for eyes and a carved bird on the top. It has a string for hanging on the back. I have looked at a lot of masks and can’t quite identify this or put a value on it. Can you help? Charlene, 938 A: Thanks for the sharp photos of the front, side and rear. Good photos are always a big help to me. Papua New Guinea represents the last indigenous culture to be discovered by collectors. Now a few talented carvers are making especially nice pieces for the market. This particular mask is traditional in…
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Large Indian mask
Q: I have been trying to research this mask. I know it is from India but I am not sure if it is Ravana or Shiva? Also an age? I think it is late 19thC, early 20thC but someone has recently told me it was older? It is a large mask at 19″ inches in Length and 12″ wide and 7″ deep. Josh, 937 A: Shiva is a female deity, so it could be Ravana or some other male character. Unfortunately, there is no reference book about Indian masks to tell us the character’s name, the festival for which it is used, area it comes from, etc. A careful search…
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Sri Lankan healing mask
Q: I purchased this mask at an online auction over 10 years ago for around $60. It was listed as a large mask from India, over 100 years old. It is old, and big (21″H x 11″W x 9″D), but I’m not sure it’s Indian or over 100 years old. It’s completely hollowed out in back and has eye holes, so it could have been worn, but it’s vey heavy. It also has holes in the “bun” on top, with nails driven into it, and holes and nails around the perimeter of the mask. I’m sending these photos in hopes that you, or someone that follows your blog, might be…
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Steeplechase Funny Face
On top is the front and back of a cardboard half-mask promoting the Steeplechase. I don’t know if they were sold or given away as advertising specialties. Below is the painted image on a large metal sign. This Steeplechase Funny Face welcomed visitors to Steeplechase Park, the longest-running amusement park in Coney Island’s history. The grinning red mouth echoes the exaggerated smiles of barkers shouting out attractions to passersby. In some depictions of the Funny Face, such as the one here, the combed hair, parted in the middle, rises to two points suggesting horns, implying that “Steeplechase, the Funny Place” is presided over by a mischievous devil intent on subverting…
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Hannya, the she-devil
Q: I have a few masks for sale. (Then he lists each of them.) Jeff, 934 A: MasksoftheWorld.com does occasionally buy collections of masks. I also do appraisals for a fee. Here is one of the Noh mask photos Jeff sent to me. I will rate it a B, which is just a guess based on this fuzzy photo. If you go to “East Asia” on the right of this page you will see another, different in style, Hannya. They both represent the beautiful woman who fell in love with a priest and was turned into a hideous monster. There are many other Noh Theater characters. Japanese Noh Masks by…
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Probably from the Congo
Q: Purchased for $3 at a thrift store in Flint MI. This mask is wood, 13 1/2″ long x 8″ wide (to edge of ears). It’s kind of a greenish-black color. The inside is dark, the wood at the mouth area is very worn. Any ideas as to origin, age, etc.? It has numerous wormholes and much original painted striping. Any ideas as to age, origin, etc? James, 933 A: I guess this comes from somewhere in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Not much help, because it’s such a big country and there are at least 100 separate cultures that produce distinctive designs. I hope someone will comment with a…
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Airport art
Q: Can you help me solve my boyfriend’s question whether or not these are evil? Rebecca, 932 A: This is not evil– just a waist of money. Decorative wall-hangings like this have been sold in airports all over Africa since the 1950’s. These carvings are meant for tourists and have little in common with traditional art. Thus the name “Airport art.” The Mask Man gets photos of this kind of stuff frequently and I always answer the sender’s questions, but never post them for others to see. I broke my rule today because I’d like to encourage interest in real African masks. Authentic folk art is much more satisfying than…
