Bamoun mask
Grassfields region, Cameroon
13 inches, wood
The Grassfields Cameroon, West Africa are one of the richer parts of Africa for masks and other forms of art. This dates back to the powerful kingdoms that dominated Cameroon two centuries ago. This mask is very typical of the Bamoun (Bamun) people for village ceremonies and secret society ritual. Today, mask making has grown to become a major income producer for the area. Here is an example that is well carved and in excellent condition. Bob, 715
I just saw a much more expensive mask than this one, which is described in the “Mask for sale” section of our website. Then I searched more on the internet for this type of mask and found a wide range of prices. Why so much variation? Well, there is no short answer for that. What you want is a Bamoun (or Bamun, Mbum, Bafum, Bekom… sorry about that spelling) that looks good to you. It should remind you of something that could have been used by that ethnic group. Don’t worry about who owned it or what auction house sold it. That’s for the millionaires.
