A beautiful, classic mask by a sculptor from the Baule people of Cote d'Ivoire. Masks of this type appear in a masquerade called Mblo, a sequence of dramatic scenes in which dancers commemorate distinguished members of the community. This mask's coiffure and chin-beard indicate that it is meant to depict a male character. The stylized rendering of the face and calm expression are typically Baule, as are the very crisply-rendered volumes and fine yet restrained surface detail on the coiffure and facial scarifications. Judging by the style, my guess is that this piece dates to the mid-20th century, perhaps the 1950s. The surface patina and wear on the rear indicate that the piece has been danced. I bought the mask from a picker in Chattanooga, TN, who found it in the early 2000s at a local doctor's estate sale. The mask measures 11 inches tall, 7 inches across and 3 inches deep. The stand is for photography only and is not included in the sale.
About Me and My Selling Philosophy
I have been collecting African art for about fifteen years. Over that time, my collection has gotten too large for the available space, and I've discovered I get more pleasure selling things to others who appreciate them than keeping a growing pile of interesting stuff in the basement.
My inventory is carefully selected from the offerings of generalist antique dealers, fellow collectors, estate re-sellers and "pickers" in the United States and Europe. I understand the value of provenance to collectors in this field, and therefore always seek to provide as much information as possible about an object's previous ownership history.
Like anyone who regularly buys this kind of material through the internet, I get a dud from time to time, but that's on me. Each piece I choose to list here is, to my eye, aesthetically worthwhile -- either authentically used in-culture or at least interesting and well-made. Each object, in other words, is something I would keep for myself if my house were bigger and my wife less opposed to clutter. I strive to make my photographs as good as possible, in order to give bidders maximum confidence in what I offer.
In terms of pricing, I do not want to keep listing pieces month after month at high prices in hopes they may one day sell, all the while watching them lose value as they go unsold. This means many buyers have received real bargains from me in the past. There are pieces I have sold on Ebay for a few hundred dollars that have turned up in European auctions with estimates north of 2000 Euros. Given the number of bargains I've found for myself in my own years of collecting, I am happy to spread the good fortune around! There are few other forms of art where one can get so much aesthetic power for such a small amount of money, and I enjoy helping pieces get to homes where they will be valued, even when those homes, like mine, have modest budgets.
The Rules
International bidders are welcome,
but I require that they pay via Paypal.
If payment is not received within 7 days, I will initiate a non-payment case
with Ebay and reserve the right to make a second-chance offer.