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AUTHENTIC ANTIQUE MASKS FROM AFRICA
Go directly 2 the MASKS
THE MASKS
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African Mask
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Peacetime Spirit Mask - Ivory Coast, Late 19th to Early 20th Century
Dan Origin - Harmonious Ritual Mask with Refined Naturalism
This finely proportioned Dan mask from the dense forests of northern
Ivory Coast exemplifies the elegant restraint and moral symbolism
typical of deangle spirit masks. Likely carved between the late 19th and
early 20th century, it reflects a refined aesthetic sensibility,
combining smooth sculptural clarity with quiet emotional resonance.
The form is oval and subtly elongated, crowned by a rounded, high
forehead that emphasizes inner awareness and calm. The eyes are large,
circular, and crisply carved, allowing clear vision and reinforcing the
mask's role in performance and instruction. Gently parted lips, full and
naturalistic, suggest poised speech - an allusion to the mask's function
as a model of proper behavior and eloquence during initiation or
community gatherings.
Unlike masks of judgment or aggression, this piece projects grace,
serenity, and the idealized virtues of Dan social life. The surfaces are
softened by time and ritual use, with a deep, dark patina bearing traces
of palm oil and red earth pigments - signs of its spiritual maintenance
and performative vitality.
The mask was likely worn during deangle masquerades that taught moral
values, settled disputes, or celebrated social harmony. Its poised
expression, confident balance, and formal clarity point to a carver of
great skill and cultural literacy - one who understood both the physical
and metaphysical roles such objects played.
Material: Hardwood with darkened patina and ritual wear
Dimensions: [Insert actual measurements]
Cultural Attribution: Dan people, northern Ivory Coast
Estimated Date: Circa 1880-1920
Provenance: Private West African collection; reportedly acquired before
1950
Comparative References: See related examples in Visions of Africa: Dan
by Eberhard Fischer (2008), and in the collections of the Metropolitan
Museum (New York) and Rietberg Museum (Zurich)
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African Mask
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Ancestor or Spirit Mask - Ivory Coast, Early 20th Century
Jimini (Djimini) / Ligbi Origin - Abstract Monumentality in Mande
Tradition
This vertically striking mask from the Jimini or Ligbi peoples of
central Ivory Coast exemplifies a minimalist sculptural language
grounded in spiritual solemnity and ancestral reverence. Likely created
in the early 20th century, its form reflects a synthesis of stylized
abstraction and ritual clarity typical of Mande-influenced masking
traditions.
The face is rendered with architectural restraint: elongated and ovoid,
it features circular eye apertures beneath a flattened brow ridge, a
sharp medial crest, and a protruding tubular mouth element - perhaps an
allusion to the transmission of sacred breath or ancestral voice. The
tall, conical headdress with its segmented rings is emblematic of
hierarchical structure or ritual coiffure, and echoes forms seen in both Ligbi kponyugo masks and Djimini spirit figures.
Absent of overt expressiveness, the mask instead conveys stillness,
presence, and symbolic authority. It likely functioned within secret
society rites - either as part of initiation cycles or funerary
observances - where its formal severity would evoke ancestral power and
social continuity rather than dramatic performance.
The deep blackened surface, softened by age and handling, bears a rich
patina with traces of use, including light abrasions and oxidation. This
reinforces its authenticity as an object of ritual, not touristic,
origin.
Material: Carved hardwood with aged black-brown patina
Dimensions: [Insert actual measurements]
Cultural Attribution: Jimini (Djimini) / Ligbi peoples, central Ivory
Coast
Estimated Date: Circa 1900 - 1930
Provenance: Former Belgian collection; reportedly acquired near Bouake,
Ivory Coast
Condition: Excellent; intact form with minor surface wear consistent
with age
Comparative References: For stylistic parallels, see similar examples in
"L'art des Lega et des peuples mandingues" (Musee Dapper, 1993) and the
Musee Barbier-Mueller collection (Geneva)
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African Mask
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Miniature Dan Mask - Ivory Coast or Liberia, Early to Mid-20th Century
Dan Culture - Spirit Embodiment in Pocket Format (Deangle or Gunyeya
Type)
This finely carved miniature mask reflects the refined sculptural idiom
of the Dan people of Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia, whose mask traditions
are among the most formally sophisticated in West Africa. Likely created
in the early to mid-20th century, it may have functioned as a ma go - a
small-scale mask carried by initiates or elders as a personal talisman,
or used in teaching and ritual display rather than performance.
Despite its scale, the mask bears all the hallmarks of classic Dan
aesthetics: large, circular eyes with hollowed pupils, a sharply modeled
nose with vertical ridge, and pursed, almost abstract lips. The
minimalist stylization and rhythmic curvature of the facial features
suggest it may be a reduced representation of a Deangle or Gunyeya
mask - types associated respectively with nurturing spirit presences or
racing performances during initiation cycles.
The smooth patina and subtle handling marks on the wood indicate
repeated use and reverence, possibly worn on the body, stored in a woven
pouch, or attached to personal regalia. Such miniature masks served not
only as mnemonic devices but also as portable channels to spirit power
and ancestral memory.
Material: Carved hardwood with natural patina
Dimensions: [Insert actual measurements]
Cultural Attribution: Dan people, Ivory Coast / Liberia
Estimated Date: Circa 1920 - 1950
Provenance: Private European collection; collected mid-20th century
Condition: Excellent; minor abrasions and original carving marks intact
Comparative References: See Musee du Quai Branly (Paris), Barbier-Mueller
Museum (Geneva), and Fisher's "Africa Adorned" for parallels in Dan
miniature mask typology
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African Mask
4 |
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Elongated Dan Mask - Ivory Coast, Early to Mid-20th Century
Dan People - Minimalist Ritual Mask with Symbolic Authority
This refined, elongated wooden mask from the Dan people of northwestern
Cote d'Ivoire exemplifies the minimalist sculptural language used to
represent spiritual presence rather than human likeness. Likely carved
between 1920 and 1950, it reflects the Dan ideal of abstracted beauty,
ritual efficacy, and restraint.
The mask features a long, oval face with a sharply pointed chin,
culminating in a prominent downward extension that may represent a
stylized beard or spiritual appendage. The eyes are reduced to narrow
slits beneath subtle brow ridges, enhancing the mask's meditative,
introspective expression. The long, vertical nose bisects the face,
forming a central axis of balance.
Dan masks such as this were traditionally used in masquerade
performances (glee) connected to initiation, conflict resolution, and
spiritual mediation. The minimal detailing and restrained emotion signal
a mask associated with elder spirits or guiding presences—those who
command respect without fear.
The surface bears a soft brown patina, with areas of smoothing and light
oxidation suggesting both age and careful ritual use. The simplicity of
form is deliberate, aligning with the Dan aesthetic value of controlled
elegance and ancestral dignity.
Material: Carved hardwood with natural patina
Dimensions: [Insert dimensions]
Cultural Attribution: Dan people, Ivory Coast
Estimated Date: Circa 1920 - 1950
Provenance: Former private collection, reportedly acquired near Man or
Touba region
Condition: Excellent, with minor wear and age-related surface variation
Comparative References: See Art of the Dan by Eberhard Fischer and
Helene Baum, and similar examples in the Musee du Quai Branly (Paris)
and the National Museum of African Art (Washington, D.C.)
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
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Features & Note
Date: Early to Mid-19th Century
Dimensions:
26 * 14 cm
Condition: Cracked, worn, stable - surface erosion fully
consistent with age and field use; museum-quality authenticity
Provenance: From a longstanding private Belgian collection with
records tracing back to c. 1940s missionary fieldwork
Comparative Examples: Comparable to pre-1900 Nepalese ritual
masks in the Barbier-Mueller Collection and Nepalese tribal
archives
Scholarly Context:
This mask likely served both as a transformative identity and a
protective amulet for its wearer, who might have entered trance
or lamented ancestral suffering through performance. The
flattened head design and vertical facial symmetry hint at
cultural ideals of solemnity, silence, and ancestral authority.
Its stark form is best appreciated under soft lighting, which
reveals the micro-erosions, soot layering, and incised tool
marks - silent traces of its long journey through Himalayan
ritual landscapes.
PRICE 2500 EURO
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See the mask from the rear
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Nepali mask 19 |
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask
22 |
Grinning Yellow Guardian Mask
Terai Region, Nepal - Folk Ritual, ca. 1920 - 1950
This mask features heavily stylized features and a luminous
yellow pigment, still vivid despite decades of use. The closed,
almond-shaped eyelids and the exposed teeth create a dual
expression - serene yet mischievous, possibly representing a
trickster or protector spirit.
The bold yellow may symbolize divine presence, vitality, or
purification, common in both Hindu and indigenous Terai
cosmologies. This type of mask is often associated with village
exorcism rituals, seasonal festivals like Maghi, or performances
linked to Bhuwa and Jhankri healing traditions.
Key Features:
Material: Softwood with ochre and black pigment, inset cowrie-shell
teeth or painted carvings
Style: Hybrid of Bengali folk theatrical masks and Tharu tribal
forms
Condition: Surface wear consistent with age and repeated
ceremonial use
Dimensions:
35 * 21 cm
Function: Possibly danced by shamans, masked actors, or festive
guardians in community rituals
Comparable: Santal and Maithili masks from northern Bihar and
eastern Terai belt
Rare yellow Terai mask with a trickster's smile - ceremonial,
mysterious, and radiating warmth. A gem of syncretic folk
spirituality.
PRICE: 3500 EURO
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See the mask from the rear
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Nepali mask 23 |
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African Mask
24 |
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African Mask
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African Mask
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African Mask 27 |
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African Mask 28 |
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