Skip to main content

Papua New Guinea Iatmul People Initiation Mask, Middle Sepik River, Mid-20th C.

Papua New Guinea Iatmul People Initiation Mask, Middle Sepik River, Mid-20th C.

View Similar Items

Large Papua New Guinea Sepik River Mask Strong Face

Large Papua New Guinea Sepik River Mask Strong Face

Iatmul People "Mei" Mask Sepik River New Guinea

Iatmul People "Mei" Mask Sepik River New Guinea

Genuine Papua New Guinea Sepik area Maternity figure , middle 20th century

Genuine Papua New Guinea Sepik area Maternity figure , middle 20th century

Sepik River (Keram Region), Papua New Guinea Ancestral Bust, mid 20th century

Sepik River (Keram Region), Papua New Guinea Ancestral Bust, mid 20th century

Small Papua New Guinea Sepik River Bird Mask Strong Face

Small Papua New Guinea Sepik River Bird Mask Strong Face

Papua New Guinea Talipun, Boiken, Sepik River Region

Papua New Guinea Talipun, Boiken, Sepik River Region

Early Papua New Guinea Weathered Sepik Stylized Hook Figure Mask

Early Papua New Guinea Weathered Sepik Stylized Hook Figure Mask

Coconut Shell Carved Ritual Cup – Iatmul People, Sepik River, Png

Coconut Shell Carved Ritual Cup – Iatmul People, Sepik River, Png

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik Woven Raffia Talipun Mask Red Pigments ex Hamson

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik Woven Raffia Talipun Mask Red Pigments ex Hamson

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik Light Wood Yam Mask Elegant Flame Shaped Form

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik Light Wood Yam Mask Elegant Flame Shaped Form

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik Woven Raffia Talipun Mask With Pigments Custom Base

Early Papua New Guinea Sepik Woven Raffia Talipun Mask With Pigments Custom Base

Antique Ethnic Artifact Sepik River Cassowary Bone from Papua New Guinea

Antique Ethnic Artifact Sepik River Cassowary Bone from Papua New Guinea

Video Loading

1 of 21

Papua New Guinea Iatmul People Initiation Mask, Middle Sepik River, Mid-20th C.

$1,100List Price

About the Item

A mid-20th century large ceremonial initiation mask likely by the Iatmul people of the middle Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea, located between the Blackwater River and Karawari River in East Sepik Province. Impressively sized and well executed fantastical bird-like form with a 20-inch-long beak or nose and wide-open mouth, comprised of tightly hand-woven wicker basketry over a bent wood frame. Darkened surface is hand-painted with black, white, and salmon-colored natural earth pigment details and shapes. A copper-colored, hand-knotted raffia fringe embellishes nearly the entire perimeter of the piece. A fluffy tuft of cassowary feathers decorates the tip of the beak or nose, while a few more cassowary feathers remain at the top of the head. Opening on underside is 9.5 inches in diameter. Papua New Guinean masks such as this are often said to represent or channel ancestral spirits and reference various animals important to the clan. This one in particular likely draws inspiration from the saun, a bush bird central to the Iatmul culture, or the cassowary, often called “the world’s most dangerous bird”. When not being used for ceremonial purposes, it would’ve been hung with pride from the gables of a prominent dwelling. These are sometimes described online as being tumbuan masks, but we believe that designation to be incorrect, as tumbuan masks are of a distinctly different design and used during other types of ceremonies. Acquired from the San Francisco, California estate of a serious and prodigious decades-long collector of Papua New Guinean and African masks, art, and artifacts. Display stand is not included.

Dimensions:
Height: 26 in (66.04 cm)Width: 15 in (38.1 cm)Depth: 35 in (88.9 cm)
Style:
Tribal (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Bentwood,Feathers,Paint,Raffia,Wicker,Hand-Crafted,Hand-Painted,Hand-Woven
Place of Origin:
Papua New Guinea
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Mid-20th Century
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. In very good condition for age/materials. Lower "jaw" would've originally been positioned parallel to "beak" but wood support rods on either side are cracked; likely correctible, but still presents well as is. A couple minor wicker breaks. Fragile.
Seller Location:
San Francisco, CA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU955043445032

You May Also Like

Large Papua New Guinea Sepik River Mask Strong Face

Located in Point Richmond, CA

Large dark reddish brown carved wood mask with underlying traces of red pigment, from New Guinea Sepik River Area. Strong downward looking expression, carved fringe edges. Signs of...

Category

Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Wood

Large Papua New Guinea Sepik River Mask Strong Face

Large Papua New Guinea Sepik River Mask Strong Face

$1,400 Sale Price

20% Off

Genuine Papua New Guinea Sepik area Maternity figure , middle 20th century

Located in Bilzen, BE

A genuine statue from Papua New Guinea depicting a meternity (child on shoulders) The Sepik are a people who live along the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea. The peoples who bear the ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Wood

Genuine Papua New Guinea Sepik area Maternity figure , middle 20th century

Genuine Papua New Guinea Sepik area Maternity figure , middle 20th century

$814

Iatmul People "Mei" Mask Sepik River New Guinea

Located in Bridgeport, CT

A large and powerfully carved Ceremonial Mask from New Guinea. In mineral paints with Cowrie Shell Eyes. Collected in Kaminabit, Middle Sepik Region, Papua New Guinea. The Mei is t...

Category

20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Masks

Materials

Wood, Paint

Iatmul People "Mei" Mask Sepik River New Guinea

Iatmul People "Mei" Mask Sepik River New Guinea

$2,750

Sepik River (Keram Region), Papua New Guinea Ancestral Bust, mid 20th century

Located in Bilzen, BE

Sepik River (Keram River tributary), Papua New Guinea Ancestral Bust (Male Ancestor Figure) Wood, with age cracks and dark matte patina Height: 24 cm, base diameter 10.5 cm Period: M...

Category

Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Wood

Sepik River (Keram Region), Papua New Guinea Ancestral Bust, mid 20th century

Sepik River (Keram Region), Papua New Guinea Ancestral Bust, mid 20th century

$1,137

Small Papua New Guinea Sepik River Bird Mask Strong Face

Located in Point Richmond, CA

Small carved darkened wood bird faced mask with long nose/beak. Smaller squatting figure with curled arms carved on forehead. From Sepik River Area of Papua New Guinea. Signs of ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Wood

Small Papua New Guinea Sepik River Bird Mask Strong Face

Small Papua New Guinea Sepik River Bird Mask Strong Face

$1,250

Papua New Guinea Talipun, Boiken, Sepik River Region

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Papua New Guinea: Talipun, Boiken, Sepik River Region Northern Papua New Guinea, 20th Century A fine example of the rich cultural heritage of Papua New ...

Category

20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Shell, Paint, Feathers, Wicker

Papua New Guinea Talipun, Boiken, Sepik River Region

Papua New Guinea Talipun, Boiken, Sepik River Region

$2,200 Sale Price

20% Off

Recently Viewed

More Ways To Browse

African Copper Art

Channels Copper

Mid Century Wicker Animal

Woven Wicker Animal

New Guinea Artifacts

Sepik River Masks

African Mask Raffia

Copper African Masks

Papua New Guinea Painted Wood Mask

Wicker Animal Heads

Ceremonial Knife

African Bronze Currency

African Dan Mask

View All Popular Tribal Art Searches