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LOT 2378
African Wooden Ceremonial Crocodile Face Mask
BOBO TRIBE, MID-LATE 20TH CENTURY A.D.
13 in. (870 grams, face long: 33 cm).
A simplified crocodile head, painted red and black, rough shaped eyes and pegged teeth. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom Mali, West Africa.
From the estate of a West Sussex, UK, collector.
From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
The masks symbolize animals or spirits and are worn during ceremonies associated with new crops, initiations and funerals. Ones with an interior cavity too small for a human head are carried on the top corner of a rectangular, tent like costume.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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