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LOT 2381
African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
CHOKWE TRIBE, LATE 20TH CENTURY A.D.
10 3/8 in. (1.32 kg, 26.2 cm).
A performance mask: a heavy carved wooden mask with natural features, ears to the sides and drilled holes to the eyebrows and 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.
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.
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
Bambara Tribe, 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
A small wooden carved mask with curved horns, decorated with thin metal sheets and fabric tufts. 234 grams, 30 cm
From Mali, West Africa. From the collection of the late Professor R M Hicks, OBE. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman. -
African Wooden Fertility Figure
Lobi Tribe, 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £20
Carved in a standing pose with a bald head, legs slightly bent, hands resting on the abdomen and an elongated neck supporting a face with bulging eyes. 425 grams, 35.8 cm
From Burkina Faso, West Africa. From a Glasgow ethnographical collection; formed 1940s-1950s. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman. -
African Wooden 'Akuaba Doll' Fertility Figure
Ashanti Tribe, 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
Carved from dark-coloured, lightweight wood in traditional form and dyed dark brown with large, round head with a plain hairstyle, large eyes and zig-zag lines beneath, extending down the back and abdomen representing the typical tribal scarification marks. 250 grams, 30.5 cm
From Ghana, West Africa. Ex private collection of Mr.N.J., Leicester, UK. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Among the Ashanti people in Ghana, women hoping for offspring carry these ‘Akuaba dolls’ in their clothes. Traditionally, these ‘Akuaba’ have a large, round, flat head that is reminiscent of its origin as a representation of the moon goddess, which is associated with fertility. Once the ‘Akuaba’ figure has fulfilled its purpose, the mother of the desired child places it on her domestic altar, where it is worshipped in a shrine, or she passes it on to the next generation.
