Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 2362
African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
CHOKWE TRIBE, 20TH CENTURY A.D.
11 1/4 in. (525 grams, 28.5 cm).
Carved and decorated with lengths of fiber representing hair, small nose, carved teeth and scarification marks. [No Reserve]
Provenance
From Western Ivory Coast and into Liberia, West Africa.
From the private collection of the late Brian Morley; acquired in the 1950s.
From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
VETTING:
TimeLine 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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
RELATED LOTS
-
African Wooden Ceremonial Face Mask
Mossi Tribe, early-mid 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
Comprising an ellipsoid hollow face with parallel tusks; board of pierced geometric elements. 779 grams, 81 cm
From 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. -
African Wooden Ceremonial 'Maiden Spirit' Face Mask
Igbo Tribe, early 20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
A mask with long narrow face, painted white; narrow protruding sharp nose; slit eyes; closed mouth; small ears, arching eyebrows, incised hair design and above this is an elaborate openwork construction in brown, yellow and white. 1.4 kg, 56 cm
From South-West Nigeria, West Africa. From an old Newbury, UK, ethnographic collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
Agbogho mmwo, or "maiden spirit," masks are worn by men at festivals that honour important deities. They represent the Igbo ideal of female beauty: small, balanced features, elaborate hairstyles, and delicate tattoos. The men who dance in agbogho mmwo masks wear colourful, tight-fitting fibre costumes, entertaining the crowd with exaggerated versions of women's dances. -
Ashanti Bronze Gold Weight Collection
Akan, 19th-20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Including a hexagonal-section block with stamped motif, rectangular bars and other types. 211 grams total, 19-68 mm
From an old Oxford, UK, collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.