Masks
Early 20th Century Ivorian Masks
Wood
20th Century African Masks
Lucite, Wood
1940s Papua New Guinean Tribal Vintage Masks
Cane, Rattan, Wood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Showa Masks
Wood, Paint
20th Century French Beaux Arts Masks
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Masks
Organic Material
20th Century American Masks
Wood, Paint, Natural Fiber
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Masks
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Masks
Stone
1970s Indonesian Tribal Vintage Masks
Teak
1960s Italian Folk Art Vintage Masks
Ceramic, Pottery
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Masks
Leather
Early 2000s American Native American Masks
Antler, Fur, Leather, Beads, Feathers
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Masks
Ceramic, Pottery, Terracotta
Early 20th Century Indonesian Other Masks
Wood
20th Century African Bohemian Masks
Wood
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Tribal Masks
Wood
1970s Indonesian Tribal Vintage Masks
Teak
Mid-20th Century Indian Masks
Wood
1980s Italian Modern Vintage Masks
Pottery
20th Century Masks
Wood
Mid-20th Century Japanese Showa Masks
Wood
Late 20th Century Japanese Showa Masks
Goat Hair, Wood, Lacquer
20th Century African Masks
Wood
19th Century Indonesian Antique Masks
Wood
Early 20th Century Liberian Tribal Masks
Wood
19th Century Thai Tribal Antique Masks
Wood
20th Century American Masks
Lacquer
20th Century African Masks
Wood
Early 20th Century Ivorian Art Deco Masks
Bronze
20th Century French Beaux Arts Masks
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Indonesian Other Masks
Wood
1920s French Early Victorian Vintage Masks
Canvas
2010s Italian Post-Modern Masks
Art Glass, Murano Glass, Murrine
20th Century American Masks
Wood, Paint
20th Century American Masks
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Japanese Masks
Wood
20th Century Ivorian Masks
Fur, Wood
Early 1900s Ivorian Tribal Antique Masks
Wood
1980s Italian Vintage Masks
Murano Glass
20th Century Congolese Tribal Masks
Wood
2010s Italian Post-Modern Masks
Art Glass, Murano Glass, Murrine
Mid-20th Century Indonesian Masks
Wood
1920s African Primitive Vintage Masks
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Folk Art Masks
Metal, Metallic Thread
Early 1900s Congolese Tribal Antique Masks
Wood
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Masks
Wood
Early 20th Century Indonesian Other Masks
Wood
Early 20th Century Masks
Paper
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Masks
Wood
20th Century Congolese Masks
Wood
2010s Italian Futurist Masks
Wood
1960s American Vintage Masks
Paper
20th Century Masks
Paper
20th Century Cameroonian Masks
Wood
19th Century Antique Masks
Wood
Early 20th Century Congolese Masks
Hardwood
Early 20th Century Burkinabe Masks
Hardwood
Antique and Vintage Masks
Today, art enthusiasts and venturesome interior designers find a lot to love and appreciate about antique and vintage masks, particularly as they have earned a distinct place amid a collection of folk art and other collectibles and curiosities in contemporary homes.
Folk art refers to art that people, not classically trained, created for either utilitarian or decorative purposes. With respect to visual art in folk art, it is typically reflective of a community’s culture and usually handmade by craftspeople working within a popular tradition. Masks, as part of this history, have been used in carnivals, theater, medicine, therapy, religion and more. The use of masks in rituals and sacred ceremonies goes back thousands of years, and masks in general are believed to be much older. And all kinds of other uses have been found for masks and face coverings over time. We have enlisted these accessories for protection, to signal modesty, facilitate flirtation, enable licentiousness or simply to look cool.
Archaeologists found a mask in Palestine that is believed to be 9,000 years old, a Neolithic-era stone mask that may have been part of rituals associated with the worship of ancestors. Some tribal masks are worn as an offering to the gods. Masks are among the most important African art forms, for example, and traditional African masks can be used to lend a concrete form to an invisible spirit. Dancers donning wooden tribal masks celebrate important events to honor their deceased ancestors. These masks are also very important devices for storytelling and sharing the oral history of a community.
For Asian artists, specific colors are used in masks to convey different values and ideas. In Japan, a red Oni mask worn by performers during a festival might signify anger, while in China’s Peking Opera, a mask that has been hand-painted gold would be worn by an immortal.
Mexican craftspeople make masks for traditional celebrations and ceremonial dances. Mexican masks are part of the country’s folk-art traditions that go back thousands of years and play a role in festivals and theater. A common symbol of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead is a skull, which is widely represented in masks (although the innumerable activities associated with the holiday are by no means universal).
We’re inviting you to explore and pay respect to the long folk-art traditions that underpin mask-making by introducing antique and vintage masks to your space. Find an exciting collection on 1stDibs today.