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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 Ceremonial Face Mask
Chokwe Tribe, late 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
A performance mask: a heavy carved wooden mask with natural features, ears to the sides and drilled holes to the eyebrows and chin. 1.32 kg, 26.2 cm
From 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.
Itinerant actors wearing these masks travel from village to village, living on gifts received at performances. Most masks are carved of wood. The most popular and best-known entertainment masks are chihongo, spirit of wealth, and pwo, his consort. -
African Bronze Fertility Figure Pair
Yoruba Tribe, early-mid 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
Comprising male and female standing figures, each with hands resting on extended abdomen; drum-shaped base. 2.23 kg total, 17-17.1 cm each
From Nigeria, West Africa. Acquired during 1950s. From an old Surrey, UK, oriental and ethnographical collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman. -
African Wooden Comb Fertility Figure
Asante Tribe, 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Carved in the round with large discoid panel for the head with high-relief facial features; small body with arms spread, resting on a rectangular comb with six tines. 483 grams, 41.7 cm
From Southern Ghana, West Africa. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Fertility and children are the most frequent themes in the wooden sculptures of the Asante. The most numerous works are akua’ba fertility figures. The are dolls with disk-shaped heads embodying their concept of beauty and carried by women who want to become pregnant and to deliver a beautiful child.
