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LOT 2377
African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
MOSSI TRIBE, EARLY-MID 20TH CENTURY A.D.
31 7/8 in. (779 grams, 81 cm).
Comprising an ellipsoid hollow face with parallel tusks; board of pierced geometric elements. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom Burkina Faso, West Africa.
Private Hampshire, UK, collection of tribal art; acquired in the 1960s.
From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Masks were regarded as the seat of the spirit, but they might also represent the totemic animal of the clan.
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
Dan Tribe, early 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £57
Carved wooden mask of oval profile with narrow slits for eyes, pursed lips, a ribbed forehead, bands of applied textile and cowrie shells; tall fabric-covered headdress with applied cowrie shells and other ornament. 2.1 kg, 72 cm long
From Ivory Coast, West Africa. Private Hampshire, UK, collection of tribal art; acquired in the 1960s. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
This is a Dan Dean Gle Mask. Its functions are to teach, entertain and nurture. One of the most spectacular dances of the Ivory Coast is the dance of the stilt walkers, it is a ritual dance that protects the village and is celebrated during ceremonies, such as weddings, funerals, initiations, and other special occasions. -
African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
Ashanti Tribe, 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
A carved tribal mask with copper to the face and back of the head, a single horn to the top of the head and stylised legs. 484 grams, 47.5 cm
From Ghana, West Africa. From an old Surrey, UK, oriental and ethnographical collection; acquired during 1950s. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman. -
African Wooden Ceremonial 'Forest Spirit' Face Mask
Kwele Tribe, early-mid 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
Carved wooden 'Four Faces Forest Spirit Mask' from Gabon, displaying flat surfaces with whitened heart-shaped faces each with a triangular nose, coffee-bean eyes and small or non-existent mouth; the two large carved horns represent the antelope. 1.2 kg, 50 cm
From Gabon, West Africa. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
The faces are usually painted in white kaolin earth, a pigment associated by the Kwele with light and clarity, the two essential factors in the fight against evil. The Kwele occupy a great forest region on the borders of Gabon, Cameroon and the Republic of Congo.
