Mid 20th Century African Kuba Helmet Tribal Mask Shells, Animal Fibres, Raffia

A highly decorative carved wood West African tribal mask decorated in blue and red polychrome colours on a black ground. In very good condition wi...

An outstanding example of an early 20th century Kuba Prestige cloth, with variations of the endless knot motif, called Imbol by the Kuba.

An example of the continuation of the Kuba design tradition into the late 20th century. Technically superb, an amalgamation of traditional patterns interpreted by contemporary artist...

A late 19th or early 20th century Kuba Prestige cloth, mostly embroidered with cut pile borders.

The African Kuba Bwoom tribal mask is the oldest known mask, the Kuba bwoom mask. The materials used for the realization of the Mask are: Wood, colors and vibrates plants, caures, beads, animal hair. In dance it expresses exuberance and joy. The style is similar to that of the middle Kasai. This mask is a helmet with animal hair, carved with a very wide forehead and hollow cheeks that are announced by motifs or dashes and beads. The mouth of the mask is very pronounced carved in wood and then applied on the mask. To distinguish the forehead in different areas are used black and white beads to draw attention to other aspects of the face such as the nose and chin. The entire edge of the chin is surrounded by beads of various colors. The person wearing the mask cannot look because there are no holes for the eyes present; the mask must create the feeling of being blind. Some masks similar to the bwoom mask include the funny mask, the ram mask and initiation masks such as Nnup. The real Kuba masks...

Powerful Scarified Makonde portrait helmet mask from Tanzania. Early 20th century with heavy dark patina from traditional tribal use, wear inside from being used. Finely carved featu...