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Details
LOT 2366
African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
DAN TRIBE, EARLY 20TH CENTURY A.D.
28 3/8 in. (2.1 kg, 72 cm long).
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. [No Reserve]
Provenance
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.
Footnotes
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.
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AUCTIONS:
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