This is the rating and price for Early 20Th C. African Mende Janiform Helmet Mask, 1965

Description : West Africa, Liberia or Sierra Leone, Mende peoples, ca. early 20th century CE. An exemplary hand-carved wooden janiform helmet mask boasting a lustrous burnish over a smooth black-painted surface. Capped with a serpent head finial, the unique mask displays two faces peering out from the body of a coiled snake, which is wrapped vertically along the top of the mask and horizontally on its sides. Both faces of the vizard present tranquil countenances, each featuring a petite, open-mouthed smile, a flat nose, and heavy-lidded, openwork eyes under arched brows. A pair of prominent, naturalistic ears flanks both of the round visages, while a geometric pattern has been incised on both faces, perhaps to represent ceremonial scarification. The head of the snake presents a pointed snout with incised nostrils, a straight mouth, and a pair of petite horns. Six annular apertures have been drilled through the periphery of the base. Size: 10.125 L x 9.5 W x 21 H (25.7 cm x 24.1 cm x 53.3 cm) This type of mask is used by a female society within the Mende culture on important occasions: handing down justice, attending funeral ceremonies, and going through initiation rites. During such initiation rites, the women who are already initiated, the Sande, wear these masks when the greet the newly-initiated as they return from three months' seclusion in the forest. In use, the masks have long costumes attached to cover the entirety of the body so that the identities of the women are not known. Often these masks combine male elements with female elements to show that the women have attained the same amount of knowledge as men. Provenance: private Englewood, Colorado, USA collection, ex-Martin Boxer collection, ex-Komor Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, circa 1965 All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #160626
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