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LOT 2351
African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
PENDE TRIBE, EARLY-MID 20TH CENTURY A.D.
14 3/4 in. (560 grams, 37.5 cm).
Carved with scarification panels to the cheeks and forehead, protruding mouth with teeth, flat nose and a neck panel below the chin. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa.
From the collection of the late Professor R M Hicks, OBE.
From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Pende masks are among the most dramatic works of all African art. There are two styles: the western one of the Kwilu with its mbuya mask characterized by a somber, gloomy expression, and the Kasai style that is more geometric and colorful. The Kwilu Pende are especially well known for their masks that were originally used for circumcision ceremonies but later became accessories for a type of popular theater. The minganji, or masks of power, represent the ancestors; the mbuya, or village masks, represent human types, such as the chief, the diviner, the epileptic with a twisted mouth, the madman or man in a trance, the widow, the lover, or the executioner.
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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African Wooden Ritual Cup
Senufo Tribe, 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
Comprising a cotton-reel-shaped body with stylised figural handles carved in the round, one male and one female, each facing the other with chin resting on the rim of the cup, arms embracing the bowl, legs spread around the foot, frieze of interlocking combed triangles around the stem. 940 grams, 18.5 cm wide
From Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa. Acquired Nairobi, Kenya, 1997. Property of a Manchester, UK, collector. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman. -
Papuan New Guinea Polished Stone Axehead
19th-20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
Lentoid in section and linguiform in profile with fine polished surface. 457 grams, 18.5 cm
Acquired on the UK art market in the 1980s. From an East Anglian private collection. -
African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
Marka, early-mid 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Hollow-formed carved mask with heavy brow, small square eye-holes flanking a triangular-section nose, narrow lower face with tassels. 862 grams, 34.5 cm
From Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, West Africa. Private Hampshire, UK, collection of tribal art; acquired in the 1960s. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
The Marka are a Mande subgroup. This ethnic group is independent from the Bambara but their styles show a strong Bambara influence. The Marka are famous for their masks and puppets. Similar to Bambara's ntomo society masks, Marka masks are generally carved with horns, comb or crest on top of the head, but unlike Bambara masks they are often covered with metal sheeting.
