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…
-
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
You May Also Like
Big, beautiful croc
Dan mask from Liberia or Ivory Coast
Authentic Chokwe pig mask
-
Typical Guatemalan mask
Here is a nice Cristiano mask from the Dance of the Christians and Moors. It comes from Rabinal in central Guatemala. It represents a European man who has recently shaved. The Mayan people have a rich tradition of masquerade that is strongly influenced by Spanish classical art. This mask is part of Aaron’s collection. You can see more by looking for “Guatemala” in the Categories column to the right. Our go to pages 137-145 of our new book Masks of the World. And there are many other books that are entirely about Guatemalan masks.
-
Basket-like mask from Europe
Q: Any thoughts about this mask? It is very large and completely woven. I have had it for some time, purchased at a garage sale. Could it be a mask that was used for “the running of the bulls?” Would appreciate any info you can provide. Mickey, 930 A: I’ve seen woven masks from all over the world. Some come from Europe, where bulls and other animals are favorite subjects. I have seen a bull from France that looks exactly like yours. With a little research or a helpful comment, we might be able to identify the village and what kind of celebration it is used for.
-
Tschäggättä mask from the Swiss Alps
Q: I recently purchased this large old mask from a Canadian gentleman who had no knowledge of it’s origin or history. I’d guess it to be Eastern European, Tyrolean or possibly Swiss, but I’m not entirely certain where it’s from. I’m hoping you, or one of the many collectors who visit your site, may recognize it. It shows signs of use and has holes around the perimeter indicating it may have had a cloth or fur hood at one point. It also has a concave area surrounded by holes on the back that most likely held padding in place for the comfort of the wearer. It measures approx 14″X 9″,…
-
Blockbuster mask from Mexico
This is another one of the exciting masks Kathleen discovered in the storage unit contents she won at auction. Michoacan, a state located in Westcentral Mexico, is where there are a number of highly talented carvers. In addition to masks for traditional dances, they also create extra-fancy items for sale to tourists and folk art collectors. This may be one of them. It looks like a blood-sucking bat on top of an unlucky conquistador. I’m just guessing. What do you think? Can you explain the spikes and chairs? 928
-
Another African mystery
Q: I sent you pictures of a mask a couple months ago… the Bambara mask from Mali. Thanks for giving me great information. Here is another of the several I have. Again, all purchased in the 70’s from a guy in Southern Indiana. They each appear older… Kevin, 927 A: The patina on the front and back looks good. Probably African, but hard for me to identify. Let’s hope someone will offer a comment. Here is what I see on the back that might be helpful. It is thinly carved and has 12 holes on the top half of the edge which are probably meant to hold some kind of…
You May Also Like
Lipiko mask from the Makonde
3 African multiple-faced masks
Kuba Bwoom helmet mask
-
Coconut mask from Puerto Rico
This is a Vejigante mask made out of a whole coconut husk in the city of Loiza, PR. (The nut has been removed from these large masks.) Many of the people who live there are of Nigerian decent. So the style of these masks is mostly influenced by the Chango warriors of West Africa, rather than the Catholic Church. There are Vegigante masks made in Ponce, PR, for the same celebration of St. James, but are made out of papier mache and look much different. This will go in the Caribbean category, which is the smallest on MasksoftheWorld.com. This category includes all of the islands plus the northern coastal areas…
