Old Kuba Mukenga Helmet Mask

Biwat people mask from the Yuat river region middle Sepik river Papua New Guinea in nicely aged original rich surface color patina to wood, shells and natural fibers. Circa 1980. Loo...

Exceptionally beautiful museum quality wood carving of a male ancestral type figure with perfectly aged original surface color patina. Ink stamped on underside West Indies and old pa...

19th century African Nupe people Nigeria door panel. Hand carved wood w/ animals, objects, symbols in relief w/ original beautifully aged original surface color patina.. Genuinely ol...

19th century African hand carved wood chair w/ leather goatskin hide woven webbing in original as found antique condition with no restorations. ...

African Bembe mask with feathers from Congo region in original aged pigmented color to wood. From a private collection of tribal art ( inventory numbers on inside bottom ) circa 1970...

Papua New Guinea standing male ancestral figure, hand carved from a single piece of wood. Beautifully aged old pigmented surface with finely decorated facial features and shell eyes....

Woven painted basketry yam helmet mask from Papua New Guinea. Hollow woven form with traces of red and white pigments. Measures: 14 1/2 inches high, mid 20th century.

Blacked wood helmet mask (Gelede), large human head surmounted by a dog eating a snake which curves around the head. No perforation for attachment to costume from Yoruba, Nigeria. Pu...

A scarce antique African tribal carved Hemba helmet mask, the Suku peoples, possibly Kwese culture, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa, early 20th century, surmounted by four-legged animal, over round face, with mouth ajar and incised jagged teeth exposed, protruding almond shaped eyes, scattered remnants of pigment, full raffia fiber fringe, mounted on wood stand. A superb museum quality example, this remarkable tribal folk art sculpture is a wonderful way to add rustic warmth, rich historical depth, and fascinating cultural interest to any space! Dimensions: (approx) Overall: 26" High, 9" Wide, 10.25" Deep; Mask only: 15" Tall; 7 lbs total Provenance / Acquisition: Acquired from the highly reputable auction house, Austin Auction Gallery, est.1983, Austin, Texas. Excellent Condition: Nicely aged distressed patina over the whole. Highly desirable wear consistent with age and indicative of use, including scattered losses, antique character marks and typical signs of aging throughout. Retaining scattered remnants of original pigment. Overall a superb museum quality example Primitive Arts Of Africa: Among the Suku of the southwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, masks plays crucial role in protecting boys during initiation, the vulnerable period between boyhood and manhood. The power contained in Hemba 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...

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 portrait of a Makonde man with a traditional lip plug in his upper lip, high carved cheek bones in the form of a finely carved helmet mask, with attached hair on top from Ta...